Local ministry of health officials have promised to send more doctors to Agok hospital in the southern Abyei region following complaints that people were not receiving assistance in life-threatening situations.

Hospital officials told Abyei Today they experience extra pressure during the rainy season because of the increasing number of malaria cases.

Minister of Health Albino Miyor Aguer said four doctors had arrived in Abyei from Juba recently and two were supposed to be sent to Agok, but had not yet arrived. He said he would find out when they were traveling and help sort out living quarters for them.

The hospital has no nurses or doctors working on Saturday or Sunday nights, at the moment, though Acting Medical Director Malual Biong said they had plans to correct that.

Doctors are also encouraging people to continue their malaria treatments. Some patients have complained that the standard treatment are ineffective and causing unwanted side effects.

One patient, 23-year-old Ajok Deng, told Abyei Today that the treatment made her dizzy and tired.

Health officials said those side effects can be mitigated by following instructions and that patients who did not complete the treatment risked becoming even more ill.