Health workers at the Bor State Hospital in Jonglei State have resumed their duties after a prolonged strike that severely impacted patient care.
Last month, operations at the hospital came to a standstill when 234 workers, including physicians, nurses, and lab technicians, halted work and locked the hospital’s main gate and the outpatient section in protest against unpaid incentives.
The medical director, Dr Bol Chau, confirmed the resumption of work after a meeting with State Governor Mahjoub Biel Turuk. He said the Governor acknowledged the legitimacy of their demands, but cited financial constraints as a challenge.
“The health workers resumed work after meeting the Governor, who promised to help resolve their grievances at his level. We also met with partners, and a list of names for incentive payments was sent to Juba, accepted, and approved by the National Ministry of Health. So the medical workers agreed to work on the deal that their payments will be made as soon as possible,” Dr Chau told Radio Tamazuj.
The strike had led to a dire health situation for hundreds of patients, some of who were left seeking shelter under trees.
A letter from the hospital’s Staff Crisis Management Committee to the State Ministry of Health last month detailed their frustrations with the lack of resolution from both the Ministry and UNICEF. The incentives, funded by NGOs such as Care International and TearFund, had been delayed since the transition of the organizations on June 30, 2024.
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