Governor makes donation to Yambio main referral hospital

Governor makes donation to Yambio main referral hospital

September 19, 2010 (YAMBIO) – The state government of Western Equatoria, last Friday presented 100 of bedsheet sets to Yambio Hospital.

Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, Governor of Western Equatoria State, who made the presentation, said the donation was part of the government’s contribution to the fight to improve basic health services among children and pregnant women in the state.

The govenor paid a visit to the Children and the Maternity Block of the Yambio hospital to get firsthand knowledge of the medical services.

Bakosoro further pledged to provide more medical supplies to the hospital. Hospital staff who received the bed sheets, thanked Bakosoro and the state government for its continuing support over the last three months.

The donation came as part of the first visit to the state hospital by the governor since taking office.

Speaking during the brief tour to the hospital, Bakosoro said that, “the state government is concerned about the high mortality rate in Western Equatoria, which is a challenge to be addressed immediately.”

According to recent studies, Western Equatoria State has the highest mortality rate in southern Sudan, with mothers and children in the highest risk category.

The governor explained that, “the state government is ready to improve the structure of the hospital with the help of partners including Medicine San Frontiers [MSF], which has been operating in the state since the war in 1993.”

Bakosoro urged the hospital administration to be patient, as the state Minister of Health is still in Khartoum trying to solicit funds for them. He also noted the importance of cleanliness in the hospital environment, particulalry with regards to the spread of malaria via mosquitos.

The Governor also gave thanks to MSF Spain for their continued support to the state hospital and urged the hospital administration to continue finding other partners in order to improve the hospital.

(MSF) Doctor, Francisco Bartalomer, explained that MSF came to work with the hospital after seeing what poor condition it was, after the departure of MSF Sweden a few months ago.

The current activities being covered by MSF in the state hospital are, the surgical, maternity and pediatric departments, in addition to a project to combat sleeping sickness.

A member of the staff, Dr. Munadil said that “the hospital has the capacity of 120 beds only with six general doctors and practitioners, including the head of clinical officers, and four certified nurses who are running this big hospital.”

He noted that, the situation in the hospital is improving as MSF have brought medical doctors, expert midwives, nurses and medical supplies. This is in addition to the drugs given to the hosptial by the Governemt of Souther Sudan (GoSS) Ministry of Health, which will last until December 2010.

“The hospital lacks human resources; with only 43 nurses, some which are not certified, a lack of capacity building for medical personnel, and a lack of specialists and consultants, which leads to referrals to Juba teaching hospital. Also the security of the hospital is not good as there is no fencing,” said Mundial.

However, his greatest concern was for the inoperative x-ray, ultra sound, eye-scanning and dental machines. He called upon the state government to put more emphasis on improving the hospital so it can deliver better health services to the citizens of Western Equatoria.

(ST)