By Anak Dut
The Directorate of the Medical Bureau of Religious Affairs has launched a Chaplaincy at Juba Hospital to provide spiritual needs to the patients.
Pastor Makuei Gorjok was posted as the new Chaplain yesterday.
Gorjok said his duty is to address the spiritual and emotional aspects of health care and foster a sense of peace and well-being for all individuals involved.
He appealed to all churches to visit patients in hospitals around the country to be able to provide spiritual support to them, saying medication is not what the patients need only.
Pastor Gorjok promised to form a group of professional chaplains to be responsible for all the hospitals in the country.
He expressed his commitment to supporting all the religious dominations.
Also, he said there would be training by the team to ensure all the doctors are trained and oriented on how to handle patients rather than just prescribing medications.
Meanwhile, Moses Telor, Director of the Medical Bureau Religious Affairs referred to religion as a social discipline and organization.
He stressed the need for capacity building of the chaplains to develop the institutions.
Telor noted that the streets of Juba are full of individuals who are traumatized, describing it as a big threat to the country.
“That’s why there is a need for counseling sessions in the hospital,” he remarked.
Significance of chaplaincy in hospitals
A hospital chaplain is a professionally trained clergy member who supports patients and staff with spiritual and religious concerns.
Chaplains have similar skill sets to social workers, but are specially trained to support belief systems across faiths and cultures.
Chaplains act not only as spiritual counselors, but as advocates for patients and staff. Dedicated chaplains influence better decisions about care, improve clinical outcomes, and enhance staff morale. The trust they establish with patients transfers to other members of the care team, leading to better care and better outcomes.
“Sometimes patients need some emotional and spiritual support to accompany their healthcare. That’s where chaplains play an important role,” says Intermountain Health.