South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Benjamin Takpiny
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) together with the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare have supported about 2411 with physical rehabilitation and mental health services and livelihood support in Juba, Rumbek and Wau.
“In 2023 from January to October, we had 2411 persons that were supported with physical rehabilitation services with prosthetist, orthotics or physiotherapy services in those centers, out of which 613 received orthopedic device and there were more than 14,000 physiotherapy sessions,” said Florence Gillette, head of delegation of ICRC in South Sudan during interview on the sideline of the workshop organized for media managers in Juba on Friday.
ICRC supports three physical rehabilitation centers in Wau, Juba and Rumbek.
ICRC has been supporting the training of staff running these three rehabilitation centers.
“We have a group of South Sudanese orthotics, prosthesis and physiotherapists who have been trained and are already working in those centers,” said Gillette.
She said that their challenge remains in how they could continue funding these rehabilitation centers in long term.
The ICRC and the South Sudan Red Cross SSRC support Juba Military Hospital to treat weapon wounded patients. ICRC has some of it’s professionals doctors deployed in the Juba Military Hospital where they operate on weapon wounded patients.
“There are a lot of civilians actually being treated there, and those people are referred to Juba Military Hospital by organizations or SSRC,” said Gillette.
She also noted that in the three physical rehabilitation centers they are providing holistic support to people with disabilities who have mobility issues.
“One thing which is at the heart of the Red Cross Red Crescent movement and specifically at the heart of the ICRC is international humanitarian law that is applicable during armed conflict. We still have some residual situation of armed conflict in South Sudan,” said Gillette.
She said ICRC often pursues dialogue with authorities and weapon bearers to fully understand international humanitarian law.
Gillette also said that the ICRC is engaged in training of trainers amongst authorities, army, security forces and other weapon bearers to ensure that all the people who might take part in hostilities are aware of international humanitarian law.
The ICRC together with the SSRC has over the years been supporting the reunion of family members separated by communal violence or the main conflict that broke out in December 2013.
In addition, the ICRC and SSRC have been providing phone call services for returnees and refugees fleeing Sudan to South Sudan to help them restore and maintain contact with their families.
Gillette said currently there are about 6000 cases of missing persons whose family members are trying to reunite with.
