Jonglei Governor vows to improve working conditions at Akobo hospital

The Governor of Jonglei State, Mahjoub Biel Turuk, on Mondaypromised to improve working conditions for health workers at Akobo Hospital.
Akobo hospital

By Awan Achiek

The Governor of Jonglei State, Mahjoub Biel Turuk, on Mondaypromised to improve working conditions for health workers at Akobo Hospital.

In November 2024, people held protest at Akobo hospital over the poor health services at the only health facility. The hospital serves Akobo County and the nearby Gambella region in neighboring Ethiopia.

“His Excellency the Governor has promised the people of Akobo that his government will do its best to ensure that the health care is operational and other challenges that are facing the workers that are here are addressed,” said Malual Gabriel, the Jonglei State Minister of Peacebuilding.

Gabriel said the Governor’s team listened to concerns raised by local authorities regarding critical shortages of essential drugs and supplies at the hospital.

“We have learned that there are challenges facing this hospital. This includes a lack of infrastructure as a mortuary, and also there is an inadequate supply of medicines, and also the incentives of the workers in this hospital,” he said.

The Akobo County Health Director (CHD), Chuol Makuach, decried the delay in paying monthly salaries and incentives of health workers.

“We have been given a number of 180 staff working in the hospital. Among them there were eight specialists and 16 medical doctors, practitioners, and others,” said Makuach.

“From there we made our registration on incentive. We did this a few days ago from April to the 18th of December. From that time up to now we have not seen any payment yet,” he disclosed.

Makuach said it has become difficult to operate the health facility without proper mortuary to keep the dead.

“Among these challenges, we don’t have a mortuary where we keep the dead. Those who die during operation and treatment there is nowhere to keep the dead bodies,” he said.

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