Pigi County, located in Jonglei State, is grappling with a major drug shortage as the number of water-related diseases continues to rise, according to residents and local officials.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, several county residents expressed their concerns about the dire health situation and urged for immediate intervention to prevent further deterioration.
John Abiel, a resident, revealed that they are sometimes forced to rely on traditional medicines due to the scarcity of drugs. “The health situation is worrisome. Doctors are operating under tents, and there are times when essential medications are simply unavailable. We are left with no choice but to depend on herbal remedies,” he stated.
Matiok Lem, the area’s representative in the state legislative assembly, decried the drug shortage and highlighted the plight of severely ill patients who must travel long distances to receive treatment in the neighbouring Upper Nile State capital of Malakal town.
“We feel isolated from the rest of our state, being far from Malakal. Our people are suffering in between these two states. Basic services are lacking, and the area remains inaccessible. The residents urgently require clean water, food, and medicines. The situation is truly dire,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, Dr. James Wien Thon, the county health director, acknowledged that they have been facing a shortage of life-saving drugs since April, leaving residents to fend for themselves.
“Our county’s healthcare system is significantly weaker compared to other counties. We lack a dedicated county hospital and have only one Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) and five Primary Health Care Units (PHCU), compared to the pre-war numbers of six and thirteen, respectively,” he explained. “This insufficient infrastructure fails to accommodate the large population of returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) that we serve.”
Dr. Thon further added, “The most recent shipment of drugs we received was two months ago, and it could not even last a month. Moreover, the shipment only contained antibiotics and paracetamol. As doctors, we are forced to refer severe cases to Malakal (Upper Nile State), but transportation remains a challenge.”
In light of these circumstances, Pigi County Commissioner Nyok Malual Mayik appealed for aid, stressing that they are unable to adequately address the growing healthcare needs of the local population.
“The health situation throughout the county is dire. As a county, we cannot tackle this issue alone, especially considering the rapidly increasing population due to the returnees. We are facing an acute shortage of drugs. The only option, although costly, is to evacuate severely ill patients to Malakal via boats. Unfortunately, many people lose their lives during these journeys due to the long distances involved. We earnestly appeal to aid agencies to assist us in bridging this gap,” he pleaded.
Pigi County is one of the nine counties in Jonglei State, situated near the northern border with Upper Nile State. During the rainy season, the county often becomes isolated from the rest of the state, with water becoming the sole means of transportation.