South Sudan’s Minister of Health Dr. Riek Gai Kok has upgraded Malualkon primary health care centre to the status of a state hospital, according to Aweil East State Acting Minister of Health Ayuel Yai Deng.

The minister visited the area last Wednesday accompanied by an undersecretary, directors of training and several other directors

Ayuel says that other eight primary health care centres and units in the new counties including Majok Yithiou Municipality have also been given the status of hospital each.

South Sudan's president last year divided the country's ten states into 28 states, leaving some states without their own hospitals and forcing health personnel at state facilities and ministries to be divided into smaller and worse funded units.

“The honourable minister has given Aweil East state eight hospitals plus Majok Yithiou Municipality to be nine but the main importance about his visit is to see medical personnel in hospitals, see the availability of drugs, health equipment, facilities structures,” said Ayuel.

He added the minister has himself seen and listened to health teams some of problems facing them ranging from the lack of qualified doctors, low payments and poor working conditions. He said the minister has promised to send six qualified doctors to Aweil East State this month to close the gap.

Abraham Angac Akot, the county commissioner of Malual Baai told Radio Tamazuj that his people are very happy and appreciate Dr. Riek Gai for upgrading their facility to a hospital and also promised to sending one doctors.

“Dr. Riek Gai has been warmly received and appreciated by people of Malual Baai because they say this is what they are longing for – to see services available closure to the people and they said they have believe to SPLM vision of taking towns to the people and not people to the towns,” Angac stressed

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