The volunteers visited the hospital during their tour they noted some wards were in a poor condition.

By Makur Adut

United Nations Mission Volunteers in Rumbek handed over a $6000 new renovated medical ward in Rumbek State Hospital.

Fatinata Mamie Henrietta,  a UN volunteers focal point for Rumbek said they decided to handle the project for the rehabilitation of the medical Ward for both males and females.

She said when they visited the hospital during their tour they noted some wards were in a poor condition.

“So, as UN Volunteers, we decided to take over this project and we filled the form of almost six thousand USD dollars,” he said.

She said they normally have a monthly subscription of 10 dollars each as the UN volunteers to support the needy.

“We also donated extra when it was not enough for a monthly subscription and we met with international staff including the UNMISS head of field office,” Mamie explained.

The team also procured 30  mattresses for both wards.

She appealed the people in Lakes State to take good care of the hospital, “I hope the cleaners will do their work and the visitors who are visiting their patients or their relatives should also take good care of the Rumbek medical ward.”

A medical doctor at the hospital, Teran Madit Teran parised the UN Volunteers for their solidarity.

“I understand very well. We were in a group starting from the planning and the marvelous uplit they have done to our hospital shows that this group of people have the heart to help,” he said.

“So, I appreciate the work that has been done by the health partners and they have been here for the whole day and evening to make sure that this work is finished.”

The health system in South Sudan was intitially being sponsored by the Health Pool Fund but in 2023 the donors decided to pull out following the legislation passed by the UK parliament to cut funding for healthcare to the world’s youngest nation.

“There were some gaps when health Pool fund pulled out. The hospital was left for a quite some period without funds,”  Madit said.

He noted that the medical ward at Rumek Hospital was one of the departments that was neglected.

“I don’t want to say it was neglected, but it was left behind. As it was mentioned earlier, paediatric, maternity ward, and the rest of some department were not in good shape,” he said.

“Medical Ward was not at the same level with others, and then they came and they did what they did all these days, so it is really a great initiative and a great idea that you showed. It was a heart of solidarity to the people of South Sudan,” Madit said, praising the group of United Nations Volunteers.

“I don’t want to say it was neglected, but it was left behind. As it was mentioned earlier, paediatric, maternity ward, and the rest of some department were not in good shape,” Teran Madit Teran, a medical at Rumbek State Hospital.