The main hospital in Jonglei State’s Akobo County has been hit by a drug shortage leaving doctors grappling to attend to patients.
The medical director at the Akobo Hospital, Nyuon Koang, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that the situation is dire. He pointed out that they receive 150 to 200 patients daily yet they have no drugs.
“The issue at the Akobo Hospital is that our implementing partner, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), concluded operations in August and the new partner, Care International, which was supposed to have it replaced has not yet taken over,” he explained. “We have run out of the essential drugs especially, the injectable ones, and now there is a spike in pneumonia and malaria cases.”
He added: “Daily, we receive 150 to 200 patients or more for consultation and treatment but some prescribed drugs are lacking.”
According to Koang, they have run out of fuel to run the generators and the little diesel they got from the county will run out this week yet they have five patients on oxygen.
“We appeal for help,” he stated.
For her part, Nyahoth Gany, whose 37-day-old baby is hospitalized, also appealed for aid.
“I was hospitalized with my baby after my 25th day of delivery. Since then, my child has been on oxygen and we have been under the care of the hospital getting food and free medication,” she said. “However, for the last few days, there has been a cut in food rations and some prescribed drugs are missing. This is very difficult for those of us whose residences are outside the town.”
Another patient, John Deng, urged the government and health partners to intervene before the situation deteriorates. He said he was sent away to a private pharmacy to get some prescribed drugs while seeking treatment at the Akobo Hospital.