Warrap State's health ministry Friday concluded a five-day training of 53 Boma Health Workers (BHWs) in Warrap Town of Tonj North County.

The training which started on Monday last week was organized by the state ministry of health with support from World Vision.  A Boma is the lowest-level administrative unit in South Sudan.

The trainees said the knowledge they acquired will help them provide better health services in their Bomas. Philip Tong, one of the participants, said he has learned many things that will help him in his work.

“We learned about malaria, pneumonia, and how to assess malnutrition in pregnant mothers and children,” Tong said. “It (training) taught me how to talk to a malnourished mother by telling her to eat milk, fish, and vegetables."

Dominic Wol, another BHW said: "We have been taught about child spacing so we will explain this to couples, the importance of child spacing to mothers. Also, when we get a mother showing signs of pregnancy, we will send her to the primary health care Centre for a checkup.”

Abraham Mathuch, the county Director for Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) and the Boma Health Initiative (BHI) said the training benefited him also on how to supervise health workers.

"The immunization and treatment of children under five in the various Bomas and villages are what we have learned that is very important. The work is for Boma health workers but I also learned lessons in (health) supervision,” Mathuch said.

For his part, World Vision representative Abraham Maluil Makach said that a lot of topics were covered in the course and that World Vision will continue to support the state ministry of health.

"We trained them on Covid-19 preventive measures like social distancing, surveillance sector and how health staff should keep their eyes on the community regarding issues related to child and maternal care meaning the expectant mothers need care until 14 days after giving birth," Maluil said.

Peter Noon Wek, the acting director of health in Tonj North County, urged the health workers to put the knowledge gained during five days to practice despite the prevailing economic challenges.
"My message is that after we build their capacity, we expect the health workers to go and implement the knowledge and skills to improve the health system in Tonj North County," Noon said.