An acute shortage of trained health workers in Abyei has exacerbated the spread of disease, a medical official said Wednesday.

Abyei Hospital medical director Dr Ayom Kurchek told Radio Tamazuj that malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia cases are common in the contested area between Sudan and South Sudan.

He said the hospital badly needs the Department of Public Health to provide preventive medicine to help contain the spread of disease.

Kurchek said they received medicine from the national Ministry of Health in October 2013 but now rely only on local organizations.

He said there are many health centers in Abyei that are not functioning due to insecurity and lack of medical staff.

Still, Kurchek said the health situation is stable as the hospital has not recorded any cholera cases in the last two months.