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Patients to Pay for Tests at Mother Teresa Hospital

A church supported hospital has introduced new testing fees for outpatients to pay before accessing medical service. The move did not welcome by the community, and they asked the government to intervene.

Mother Teresa hospital said patients would now pay 500 Pound for tests of typhoid and brucellosis. The malaria test goes for 100 Pound according to the official.

The hospital is located in Turalei area of Warrap state. It has been offering free services to local people for more than ten years. But the new changes make communities worrying this time.

They say local people could not afford the cost and urge the government to address their concerns.

“This is the surprising thing because five hundred pounds is too much in this tough time in which seeking food is the major thing,” Akur Deng Dut, a resident in Turalei Payam, has said.

Another resident in Turalei Mr. Nyuol Mangok questioned why there was no 

“They should explain why, and this decision should have been made public before implementation. Before, patients have been getting treatment here for free. We have only been paying the registration fee of 50 pounds, but now five hundred is a lot” The only thing we suppose to pay attention to is going outside and buy drugs that are not in the hospital and not paying for the test. So what is the difference between public and private clinics.”Mam Deng Nyuol said.

The hospital argues that its decision came after funds for free medication cut off, and the new fees will help recover the cost.

Ajongo Majok Ajong is a doctor at Mother Teresa hospital. He said patients would only pay testing fees for three diseases includes malaria, brucellosis, and typhoid.

He said the doctor would not attend to the patient without payment being made.

“I want to say is that it is good for those visiting the hospital to carry little money even if you don’t know that something is going to be needed. You can have something so that you could be able to pay if charges ask from you”, Majok said.

The County health department distance itself from the move said not aware of the new changes hospital applied. 

Health Coordinator of Twic County, Barac Achuil Rual mentioned that hospitals in Twic County under government deliver free health services.

“Public hospitals in Twic are free. We have a health part that provides free healthcare services. If this is happening now, investigate vestigates why the Mother Teresa hospital is doing this.” He stated

Mayardit FM also spoke to hospital administrator Martin Maker Gor. He said the payment is a cost-sharing to meet the gape. And the HPF phase three does not cover all the hospital expenses.

“We did not want to tell our patients to go and do test outside and come back; instead of that, we ask the cost-sharing sharing. Outside test cost 1000 pounds and here cost less, and we give free treatment,” Martin said.

The hospital has been treated over 100 people daily. It’s not clear what the number would be after fees imposed on patients.

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Residents of Mayendit County Call for Aid Assistant

Thousands of Mayiandit County residents affected by massive flooding in mid-July, in Unity State, are calling for urgent humanitarian assistance. 

The humanitarian organization, Samaritan’s purse, said over a hundred thousand households registered this month were so starving of hunger.

In the first week of August, over 800 households with a total of 1,900 individuals were reportedly displaced in Northern County. According to the County Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, the areas affected include Pantoot, Maper and Thakker Payams.  

Flood victims described natural catastrophe as an “outrage disaster” that had triggered extreme starvation to people who were living on the streets without shelters. Water engulfed the whole area. Dhorbuoni, Dhorthier, Dhorgapni, and Maal Kuer were the most affected in the Southern part of Mayiandit.

One of the IDPS Pieny Jiek Jany said the flooding was caused heavy rain since June, and it has not yet stopped. All Payams were affected. He explained community had built some deterrence dykes, but the water ran out of control. 

Landslide overflowing was reportedly have affected infertile crops and animals. According to the resident, those affected include elderly persons, and people with disabilities are living on the main road without shelter. Some occupied the church and school facilities. 

Sarah Nyawuok Bol is a resident whose children surviving with fish as their daily meal. She said the majority of people don’t have fishing materials. 

“The worse things which were suffering, especially widowers whose husbands killed, blind people and people with disability when you saw them on the road, you can felt so sad.”

Snakes’ bite

Twelve people were bitten by snakes in the county headquarter alone. And two people died due to insufficient medication. 

It is not the first time people were dying each year due to snakes’ bite in the county. Medicine Saint Frontiers or MSF-Holland operating in Leer County, has admitted 50 patients of snakes’ bits in the first and second week of August. 

NGO says snake bite is a neglected public health issue in many tropical and subtropical countries. About 5.4 million snake bites occur each year, resulting in 1.8 to 2.7 million cases of poisoning. Around 81 000 to 138 000 people die each year because of snake bites.

Humanitarians’ intervention              

NGO Samaritan’s purse conducted an assessment last week. A massive number of unspecified people were affected. And are daring need of aid assistants such as food, shelter, and medical supplies. Samaritan’s purse and Universal Intervention and Development Organization are two organizations that were providing aid assistant in Mayiandit County. Samaritan’s purse staff who talk in a condition of anonymity explained that the situation needs immediate intervention. 

In 2019 The World Food Program said nearly a million of South Sudan’s 11 million people have been affected by devastating floods and are in urgent need of life-saving assistance. This year president Kiir declared a state of emergency in Upper Nile and the Jonglei States.

 

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Health officials receive high influx of IDPs in Mingkaman

A health official working at Mingkaman Primary health care center PHCC said there is influx of people visiting the health center daily has increased significantly daily.

Christopher Akuein is a clinical officer managing the PHCC run by doctors with Africa CAUM in Mingkaman. He said they are treating two hundred and thirty patient’s a day. Saying the increase has overwhelmed the four clinical officers of which each sees an average of nearly 60 people in a day.

He said that this happens because of the massive flood displacement so the clinical officers are managing the facility. Akuien said the hospital is running short of lifesaving drugs for treating common diseases, such as malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea. “The number is increasing every day and we are trying our best to deliver medical treatment to people here in the clinic, said Akuien.

He added that the only fear of drug shortage, which they are expecting to run out very soon.

Achol Kur is one of the patients who brought her child to be treated said she spent several hours in the queue to see medical doctors due to the high number of waiting to be served. “It takes us many hours to reach doctor that means someone needs to be here very early in the morning.

She said women and children are suffering from a common disease like malaria even now my child tested positive of malaria. “Am worry in case the clinic run out of essential drugs, most of us will not afford to buy medicine in private pharmacies.”

This comes after over fifteen thousand people who fled their homes in Jonglei State due to flooding arrived in Mingkaman in the last few weeks.

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Over 300 IDPs received emergency food assistance in Mingkaman.

At least over three hundred households ‘flood-affected victims in Mingkaman receive emergency food assistance. The food distribution, which started on Wednesday, is being conducted by a national NGO called Assistance for Relief and Development Agency (ARDA).

Mr. Bup Mading Bup is the field coordinator for ARDA; he said the combined two households to share 50kg bag of maize flour, 25kg per household. “We have identified sixty families from Pakeer alone, Ajuong the same sixty, so sixty people will be given thirty bags of maize flour because it is a little food,” said Bup.

He said the people receiving food are those identified as the most vulnerable groups. Saying they have given community leaders the responsibility to select their vulnerable people in the payams. And he urged people to be patient as they continue lobbying for more fundings to support the flood-displaced victims.

Mr. Yeah Dup is one of the community leaders in Mingkaman. He raised his concerns saying the food would not be enough to feed thousands of people in need. He urges the organization to bring more food that can meet the total registered IDPs.

Abuk Agot, one of the women who received food, said she appreciated the organization for a quick response. ’’We were the people affected by flood in our areas; we lost all our properties,” said Agot.

She said that they use to sleep in the open space without shelter or mosquito nets and no clean drinking water available.

Agot said this little food would help her family to survive for a few days to wait until they get the next distribution round.

Fifteen thousand people who fled Bor as a result of floods are camping in Mingkaman, many living in the schools.

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Plane crashed in Juba has killed 7 people and 1 survived

At least 7 people have died and one survived in a plane crashed in Juba on Saturday morning. The plane came down in Kermiru village about 15 kilometers west of Juba international airport.

An official said eight people were on board, five passengers, and three crew members.  Kur Kuol Ajith is the managing director of Juba International Airport. He said the plane was en route from Juba to Wau and Aweil in Northern Bahr el Ghazal to delivered soldiers’ salaries.

He said they will launch an investigation to established the cause of the accident which he said happen few minutes after its takeoff.

The aircraft belongs to Southwest Aviation.

Last week a private chartered aircraft by NNGO crashed at New Fangak in Jonglei state, with seven people on board and all survived.

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NAS claims responsibility for the killing of six VP’s bodyguards

The National Salvation Front- NAS has claimed responsibility for the road ambushed attack that killed six bodyguards of South Sudan vice president, Dr. James Wani Igga. Dr. James Wani was not in the vehicle during the incident; two soldiers were wounded, one abducted and destroyed.
The soldiers fall in an ambushed on Wednesday, 19th August, between Lobonok and Juba.
The vice president’s Office says the soldiers were on a government mission to visit Dr. James Wani Igga’s home in Lobonok. The press secretary Kalisto Lodu accused NAS of the carrying out this deliberate act of aggression. He described it as a serious violation of the cessation of hostility within the Revitalize Peace Agreement signed in 2018.
The attack led to the displacement of civilians in the area.
The spokesperson of the National Salvation Front claims responsibility. Suba Samuel says their forces ambushed and killed the bodyguards.
He accused the soldiers of being on a mission to identify their hiding location.
National Salvation Front, also statement issued to the media on 20th August, said the VP bodyguard was killed in action.

NAS is one of the holdout groups that did not sign the revitalized peace agreement, but it agreed with the government to end the violence through the peace process mediated in Rome, Italy.

 

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Farmers worry of looming hunger

Farmers in the Warrap state and Abyei region expect a poor harvest that has created fear for food crisis next year.

The planting period started  late June through July followed by heavy rains resulting to massive flood in the area.

Some farmers said that their crops could not properly be weeded due to the floods. They expressed fears over looming hunger year as a result of the failed crops and expected poor harvest spotlights. 

Farmers lamented that most people in the villages are only dependant on crop farning for food. 

Mr. Atem Deng Chuor, a farmer from Nyideng Ayuel village, says he planted four feddans of sorghum but could not weed due to the rains. 

‘’If these four feddans were to yield well, I would not talk of shortage of food next year, but it is bad. Instead, I have decided to sell  some cows and keep the money so that I buy sorghums in December or January at any price available in the market.’’

Nhomachot Garang Deng in Ayien Amuol area said his family usually survived on farming but would not hope for a better harvest this year.  

Deng said that he secured 14 sacks of sorghum last year, and this year, he increased the size of the farms, but all got flooded.

‘’I sold my bulls to cultivate the farm in June, but after successful cultivation, the rains never stopped. The crops standing in the water now and no hope completely even to get two sacks from it”, he said.

The Farmers urged the affected people to properly plan for food stock for next year. They said livestock should be sold to buy food reserves.  

While in Abyei region, most people did not cultivate due to constant insecurity in the area.  The farmers blamed lack of time and displacement for not cultivating. They claimed they were mostly sheltered in Abei town. 

The Secretary-General of Twic county Nyuol Kon Mawien says the plans on how to rescue the situation shall be made when the state cabinets are appointed.

Nyuol told Mayardit FM that there were plans for his office to conduct the flood assessment in the entire Twic County.

The floods have affected many parts of South Sudan this year making President Salva Kiir declare a state of emergency for Jonglei and Pibor administrative area.

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A private plane crashed in New Fangak

A private plane has crashed in New Fangak on Sunday with seven people on board. The aircraft 5Y-SAV was chartered by  National NGO, Nile Hope to deliver humanitarian aid.
Tut Gatkek, senior staff at Nile Hope, said five passengers and two crew members were on board, and all survived. According to the official, out of the five passengers and two crews, only two sustained minor injuries.
The aircraft owned by City Link Company was chartered to deliver humanitarian supply from Juba on Saturday.
According to Nile Hope, the plane stuck in the muddy airstrip in New Fangak.
Some community members helped push the plane out of the muddy, but it skipped the runway and hit a tree during takeoff.
Many parts of Jonglei State have flooded displacing thousands of residents.

President Salva Kiir declared the State of emergency in Jonglei and the Pibor administrative area on Wednesday.

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Fifteen farmers trained to plants fruits in Kapoeta.

 

Farmers planting fruits in Kapoeta, PHOTO Credited: Singaita FM

At least fifteen farmers in
Kapoeta are undergoing practical training on making nursery beds to boasts
their knowledge on agricultural production and ways of planting fruits like
mangos, guavas, and lemons.

The farmers expect to make
local products which have mainly exported in foreign countries with high prices
everyone could afford.

Acting Director-General of
Animal Resources and Fisheries, Kadong Merisia said his department would
continue to equip local farmers to produce their food.

He stated that fruits sale
in Kapoeta town is exported from the neighboring countries but arguing for a
demand to make them in South Sudan.

“So this is a nursery
for growing different varieties of fruits guava, mango lemons, and other types
of fruits. Yesterday [Thursday], a one day workshop was organized for theory
and practical part. At least the farmers will continue to learn for four days
so that they acquit themselves with theory on how to plants the fruits,”
He said.

Some farmers’ spokes to
Singaiata FM in Kapoeta said the capacity building would help them work
independently and support others. They said locals would be sold cheaper
compare to traded goods.

The local farmers urge the
government and its partner to continue to empower more people in the area.

“This will help us a
lot because once this seedling germinates, we can sell out to the people, and
we carry others to different places for sale. We have gained good knowledge.
“Yesterday we were for a workshop, and we were taught on the importance of
forest, and we all know, we can even get money from it and also creates a good
environment by keeping the place cool and also when there are lots of trees
planted even the wind which blows heavily cannot affect us a lot”.

The workshop expects to end
over the weekend was supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations [FAO].

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SSPDF accused of denying humanitarian access in Tonj

Women and children in Tonj East fetch water from a borehole after the 2013 conflict. Photo credit: Africa digital color.

South Sudan People Defence Forces [SSPDF] has been accused of denying humanitarian aid to reach the affected families in Tonj East County, Warrap State.

Local authority in the area said the army stopped mosquito nets meant to be distribute in Tonj’s Ngab Agok area.

Executive Director in Tonj East, Mabior Adeel Akol said many people were displaced during the recent clashes that he could not specify the figures.

Adeel is appealing for the humanitarian support to be offered to the IDPs. The support needed includes shelter materials and food items.

“The organization which supposed to distribute mosquito net was denied in Thiet area to enter Tonj East. And they returned after the army stop them to enter the area” He said

South Sudan People Defence Force –SSPDF’s spokesman, said the allegations cannot be verified until communication established with field commanders.

” I was unable to establish communication with field commanders to confirm what happened. And therefore will update you once get information”, Lul said.

The recent fighting between soldiers and armed civilians in Warrap State left 127 people dead, and others wounded.