South Sudan’s Ministry of Health has signed a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Sudan. This comes after a visit to Khartoum by Minister of Health Dr Riek Gai.

Undersecretary Makur Maker, speaking to the press on Saturday upon the return of the health ministry delegation from Sudan, said the agreement between Juba and Khartoum came after three days of “intense discussions and deliberations.”

According to Maker, the agreement covers 18 areas of cooperation between Juba and Khartoum, including training of medical personnel, importation of drugs, and improvement of human resources in the healthcare system in South Sudan. 

He said the agreement will also allow South Sudanese citizens to sit for the Sudan Medical Examination. He said South Sudanese professionals will benefit from this agreement, because it will allow them to benefit from many opportunities just as if they were Sudanese citizens.

Makur further disclosed that the two ministries have formed a committee of five from each ministry to oversee the implementation of the agreement. Sudanese committee members early next month will travel to Juba to meet their counterparts in order to develop a work plan for the implementation.

Photo: Minister of Health Riek Gai Kok returns from a trip to Khartoum, 10 May 2014 (Radio Tamazuj)