Several health workers in Malakal town of Upper Nile State have since last Monday downed their tools over the prolonged detention over their colleagues.
Joseph Kuol, the ministry’s head of administration and finance, and his colleague Piot Aben, who heads the human resource department, were arrested on 19 January for allegedly rejecting the ministry’s new director-general. According to the police, the two are being held on administrative grounds.
Santino Arop, a representative of the striking health workers told Radio Tamazuj that they are protesting because they want their colleagues arraigned before a court or set free.
“After we held a peaceful demonstration on Monday, the government then told us our colleagues were arrested on criminal grounds,” Arop explained. “We are not opposed to anyone’s arrest but our demand is that they arraign them before a court or set them free if there is any case because you cannot hold somebody for more than 24 hours.”
The health worker pointed out they will remain on strike until the duo is released.
“All of us, the state health ministry’s staffers have downed tools. Malakal Teaching Hospital is only operational on an emergency basis, whereas the Asossa PHCC is closed down. We will not go to work until the government finds a solution to our demand,” Arop added.
Chagai Lual, the Malakal municipality health director, urged the government to intervene saying locals were suffering due to the health worker’s strike.
“The civil population is not able to get services as the protest continues. So, I appeal to the state government to find a solution to this problem,” he said.
Radio Tamazuj was not able to get a comment from Dr. Arnes Dueny, the state health minister, as he said that he was in a meeting.