Health care workers in Mayiendit County of South Sudan’s Unity State received over 80 bicycles from health partners last week to allow health workers access remote villages.
The 84 bicycles were donated by the Health Pool Fund and distributed by the Children Aid South Sudan (CASS) in partnership with the state health ministry.
In an interview with the Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Mayendit county commissioner, Dr. Gatluak Nyang, said the bicycles are meant to facilitate transportation of health workers between remote villages and the Mayiendit county’s main health facility.
“My message to the health workers is to make good use of these 80 bicycles. Whoever sells one must face consequences. These bicycles are government assets and must be taken care of during use,” he cautioned.
The director of Mayendit County Health Department (CHD) John Gatwech said the bicycles will be distributed to 13 payams.
“The distribution of bicycles will help health workers in 13 Payams during the mobilization campaign. The bicycles belong to the government and if one of the health workers sold a bicycle then there are consequences of confiscating and more punishment will follow,” he insisted.
Peter Nyok, the Focal Point for CASS in Mayendit County said, “We have distributed these bicycles to all the health workers in Mayendit County to facilitate their movement in rescuing lives of people who have malaria, and diarrhea.”
For his part, Unity State health minister Stephen Tot Cheng directed that the bicycles be used during working hours and deposited at the health care offices after work.
He said the bicycles will facilitate the movement of health workers who have been walking on foot during health campaigns and will also be more useful during the rainy season to rescue people suffering from malaria, diarrhea, and other diseases caused by flooding in Mayendit county.