South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The national Minister of Health, Sarah Cleto Rial, pledged on Tuesday to conduct a rapid assessment of the healthcare system, particularly concerning the state of hospitals in South Sudan.
“I would like to take this opportunity to outline some of my priorities in the ministry, especially regarding hospitals in general. First, I will be conducting a rapid assessment of the current state of hospitals and primary healthcare infrastructure, staffing levels, drug supply chains, and disease burden,” Rial stated during the topping-out ceremony at Juba Teaching Hospital.
“As I take on this role, I want to reiterate my commitment to continue the work initiated by my predecessors. The fruits of their efforts and collaboration are evident in the significant transformation taking place at Juba Teaching Hospital,” she added. Rial expressed her readiness to collaborate with all stakeholders, including health workers, specialists at Juba Teaching Hospital, and friends from China, to achieve healthcare goals and aspirations.
Rial also revealed that the resolutions from the recently concluded health conference, which urge South Sudan to prioritize making Juba Teaching Hospital a centre of excellence in medical care, will be implemented. “I want to affirm my commitment to work towards the implementation of the conference resolutions, particularly those related to Juba Teaching Hospital. This will help alleviate the healthcare burden on the nation, especially for those seeking services abroad,” she said.
“I recognize the need, particularly at Juba Teaching Hospital, to establish a hospital management board and develop administrative policies such as a cost-sharing policy and other practices to ensure the hospital functions effectively,” she added.
Rial urged partners, including friends such as the people of China, to support the hospital’s solarization, emphasizing that the lack of power is hindering the hospital’s operations and contributing to preventable deaths.
“I will also undertake visits to subnational regions to listen to frontline workers, community leaders, and beneficiaries in order to understand the real-time challenges and expectations. I am confident that through collective efforts, we can make significant strides in improving healthcare outcomes and achieving a bright healthcare future for all South Sudanese and everyone living in South Sudan.”
