Unity state’s main hospital out of medical supplies

October 28, 2015 (JUBA) – Authorities in South Sudan’s oil-rich Unity state are appealing for assistance to help prevent disease outbreaks after its main hospital in the capital, Bentiu reportedly ran out of medical supplies.

“This senseless war in the country has come with negative effects particularly in unity state. It affected normal activities. All roads are insecure and secondly there is flood in the state. This is a flooding season”, the state information minister Peter Makuoth Malual said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

According to Malual, insecurity and floods in the area saw over 200 malaria cases reported daily at the hospital, yet not enough drugs were available to treat the disease and diarrhea outbreak cases among children under five.

He said health partners and international humanitarian organisations involved in relief activities within the area such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the medical charity, MSF, evacuated their staff from parts of the state early this month due to security.

Most non-governmental entities operating in the state reportedly have limited capacity.

“Health conditions in the state are still debilitated state. There are in a terrible shape and are deteriorating. Bentiu civil hospital is now not working well because most of its equipment got lost during the crisis,” said Malual.

The minister did not, however, disclose death figures from malaria and diarrhea outbreak.

(ST)