Image: REUTERS/Adriane Ohanesian

Staff shortage at Aweil hospital as nurses quit over low wages

Aweil civil hospital in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State is facing shortages in staff as the number of nurses leaving the facility increases.

Aweil civil hospital in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State is facing shortages in staff as the number of nurses leaving the facility increases.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, several nurses said the management of the hospital failed to meet their demands, with some saying there was no notable progress in their work for the last six years.

Abuk Diing, a nurse at the hospital, said she started working at the hospital in 2014, but her work conditions at the heath facility have not yet improved.

Abuk pointed out that she is paid only about 500 SSP after six months and the hospital administration has failed to handle the issue.

It has also emerged that some of the volunteering nurses who were being paid by Malaria Consortium have downed their tools.

Amani William Deng, a volunteer, said several volunteers left the hospital after the organization failed to pay all of them due to limited funds.

For his part, Reec Mathok Diing, the hospital’s director admitted that qualified nurses declined to work at the hospital due to low wages.

He said they are working with partners to ensure the volunteers are maintained.