Construction of VIP ward commences at Nzara hospital
April 10, 2017 (YAMBIO) – The governor of South Sudan’s Gbudue state, Daniel Badagbu laid, over the weekend, the foundation for a Very Important Persons (VIP) ward at Saint Teresa hospital in Nzara county.
At the launch, Badagbu said the people of Nzara should be proud because they are utilizing local resources like Teak trees, exported though Equatoria Teak company.
According to the governor such a construction is a form of accountability because a lot of money comes to the country, yet facilities like hospitals are never seen.
Badagbu said that the new ward would help the people of Gbudue and of South Sudan at large, adding that an anti-HIV/AIDs campaign will be launched.
“Nzara hospital is one of the best hospitals in the state and this would help the hundreds of people to get their ARVs [Antiretroviral],” he said.
Severina Bati, a woman who publicly declared her HIV status, appreciated the county authorities for the efforts they have made, especially for those living with HIV/Aids.
“I am so happy to see the foundation of another Ward today being laid to help patients in Nzara Hospital, more especially people like us who are living with HIV virus. May God bless those working for Equatoria Teak for having funded this construction,” explained Bati.
The Catholic Bishop of Tombura Yambio Diocese, Barani Edwardo Hiboro, said the dream of establishing a good hospital in Nzara could not be achieved alone. The Bishop gave thanks to the county authority for supporting the hospital and the addition of the new wards.
“This dream is big and we cannot achieve it alone, the commissioner has shown that together we are able to do big thing. In the midst of all the crying in South Sudan, we are talking of building a hospital. This is a great achievement,” Bishop Hiboro said.
The Bishop urged the people of Gbudue state to plant Teak trees, saying it is highly valued in the world market and since Gbudue state is blessed with it, they can export.
Meanwhile, the commissioner of Nzara County, Elia Richard Box said that his plan was to improve the hospital but the lack of funding by the government to deliver services to the community. Box asserted that the new ward will also serve patients from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Central Africa Republic (CAR).
Sister Lauro Zeminan, the administrator at the hospital, said when Saint Teresa hospital started, they treated patients with Tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy under trees, adding that expansion of the hospital would enable them serve more patients.
She urged well-wishers to support the hospital as numbers of patients continue to grow while collective effort is needed to properly run the hospital.
(ST)