By Yien Gattuor
Thousands of Internally Displaced Persons in Bentiu Camp on Monday took to the streets to protest the plan by MSF Holland to exit the camp.
The protestors demanded that the Doctors Without Borders not to abandon them.
The protest followed the discussion between the MSF and the Ministry of Health, in which they agreed to shift from Bentiu IDP camp secondary hospital to the State hospital.
Younis Gatyang Tap confirmed the peace protest in the Bentiu IDP camp and said they don’t want MSF Holland to leave them.
“We don’t need it to leave Bentiu IDP camp secondary hospital. This is due to the different diseases that are being treated by MSF such as HIV/AIDS, TB and other common diseases,” he said.
Another resident, Mary Nyamuch Liah said: “I remember the tremendous work done by Medicins Sant Frontiers (MSF) during the South Sudan war to the people of Unity State. We are enjoying the good health care.”
Meanwhile, Nhial Diet expressed worries that the situation will worsen when MSF Holland leaves the management of the hospital in Bentiu IDP.
“MSF saved thousands of lives from death in front of the government of South Sudan for the last 11 years since the outbreak of the conflict,” he said.
On the other hand, Peter Mabil, the Sectary General of the community high committee, said they have conducted several meetings with MSF, requesting them not to leave.
He said the IDPs will suffer a lot once the MSF leaves them and moves to Bentiu Hospital.
The Director General of the Ministry of Health in Unity State, John Mut Bol, however, stated that the MSF is not going out of the State.
“MSF Holland is here with us in Unity State, and it’s operated in Leer and Mayom Counties. What happened is just a transition from Bentiu IDPs camp secondary hospital to Bentiu Hospital,” he said.
The Director General added that the organization had raised complaints over the shortage of funds and it will be operating on emergency only.
“The role of MSF Holland in Unity State especially in Bentiu IDP camp was to treat every disease in Bentiu IDP and be important to everybody over there for treating the disease,” Mut explained.
However, he said they planned to conduct another meeting with MSF before they shifted from the IDPs camp.
For several years MSF has managed secondary healthcare in Bentiu’s IDP camp, serving both displaced individuals and the surrounding population. The medical charity has offered services including emergency care, surgery, maternity, neonatal, and pediatric care, and an adult inpatient department.