Main hospital in Unity state runs out of medicine
By: Bonifacio Taban Kuich
July 31, 2013 (BENTIU) – Bentiu state hospital has run out of medicine as the main road that connects it to the capital Juba and other states has become inaccessible due to heavy rains.
A state health official said that the hospital has for the last two weeks been experiencing a short fall in medicine.
Dhoal Koryom Lingling, the Secretary General of Unity state confirmed that it was indeed true that the main hospital in the state had run out of medicine prompting the care taker governor to donate some medicine to the health facility.
Dhoal Koryom Lingling said the government was working towards improving the roads to enable delivery of medicine.
“We are the government there is nothing impossible for the government and I believe soon or later government will renovate some of the roads that are connecting us with our neighboring states so that transportation of drugs or other things can easily come to our state”, said the State Secretary General.
Patients in Bentiu state hospital line up every day seeking medical treatment. But due to the big number of those seeking attention, and with the absence of drugs only minor cases are handled with the rest being reffered to get medication from private health facilities.
Nyatot Koang who has malaria asked the government to improve on the health system saying many mothers are dying during the course of giving birth.
“The situation at Bentiu hospital which is owned by state government is very bad, there is no proper medication for patients even no single sign showing it belongs to the government. I would like to urge the government to improve on the status of the hospital. Women die during birth because there is no good hospital services”, said Koang.
Koang also accused health workers of corruption saying they [health workers] have to be paid before they can give attention to a patient.
“When I come to the state health hospital to register my name, they ask me for 3 Pounds. If they want to give you the medicine they ask patience’s for 7-15 SSP that mean that it does not reflect the hospital belong to government. And if people pay money it means that this hospital does not belong to government and this is what we all experiences”, said Koang.
Secretary General Dhoal Koryom Lingling warns health workers that the practice of taking money is not accepted at the government health facility.
Kun Machar, 60, who has suffered from typhoid for the last three years accused government of doing not enough to address the health needs of the people.
“We have completed selling out our cows and goats because we want the best treatment at the commercial clinics or hospitals. We thought our government would do enough to deliver health services to all citizens,’’ complained Machar. ‘‘I have been suffering from sickness for the last three years and I went there for test, after positive of typhoid they told me to go to market to buy medicines where is my right to better health here.”
Unity state hosts nearly 50,000 refugees from troubled South Kordofan state and most of refugees seek treatment in the state hospital.
Dr. Giel Thuok Yoach Bentiu state hospital director says they run out of drugs because of the huge number of patients comprising of both refugees and the local people.
“As you know Unity state is different from others states we are running two refugees camps, in Nyal and Yida refugees camp this is a big problem too. We use to get our supply every five months in Juba and recently when we have these patients from these refugees campsour supply run off within two months time”, said Yoach.
Yoach says the recent donation drugs by caretaker governor will not last longer. He called on both state and Juba governments to work hard to deliver medicines before the situation goes out of hand.
The Bentiu state hospital director argues that Juba should deliver medicines to the states based on the number of population that seeks medication at the facilities instead of sending the same amount of drugs to all the 10 states.
(ST)