Surgical operations halted as Bor hospital runs out of fuel
Doctors at Bor State Hospital in South Sudan's Jonglei state have stopped performing surgeries because there is no fuel to run the health facility's generators.
Hospital director general Abraham Gai told Radio Tamazuj that they have not carried out operations for several weeks now due to lack of power.
“Many of our patients have not been operated because we have very little power supply that does not last for hours as required in the theatres when operations are carried out,” Gai said.
He said minor operations have been put on hold, while critical cases including appendix and cancer patients have been referred to Juba, Kenya, or Uganda.
However, not everyone can afford to travel for treatment.
Achol Magot, a 39 year old woman suffering from kidney cancer, said she has been waiting nearly two months for an operation. She said she visits the hospital each week hoping there will be electricty so she can undergo treatment.
“I lost hope now because ever since September, it was the problem of the doctor, the doctor was not in the hospital, and in October, the issue of fuel shortage was the problem till now, and the sickness can’t wait for the fuel to be enough," Achol said.
"I have no money to go to Juba and Uganda as said by the doctor,” she added.
The fuel shortage in Jonglei has affected most activities in the state including transportation and food production. There are no functioning petrol stations in the state, forcing people to buy fuel off the black market at a higher price.
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