Local authorities in Lainya County said a delegation led by UNHCR’s Deputy Country Director Murekeyison Juliet on Tuesday visited the newly constructed maternity ward at Jamara Boma Primary Health Care Centre in Kupera Payam in Lainya County, Central Equatoria State.
According to UNHCR, most of the construction materials for the maternity ward were mobilized by the community with the help of the local government.
Murekeyison urged the community to maintain the maternity ward and embrace peace.
“This maternity ward was not only built by UNHCR but together with the local government. So it is for you and you should treat it like an egg,” she said. “I want to thank the commander, and the local community that there is relative peace and you should embrace peace because I can see people returning home from the camps.”
On his part, Lainya County Commissioner Emmanuel Khemis Richard, however, said the health facility lacks a children’s ward, an ambulance for emergencies and referrals, and a microscope for medical examinations. He said people have to still travel to Lainya town or Yei for blood.
“Children, men, and women are all admitted in one room and this can lead to the spread of diseases,” he said. “So, since we have our bricks, we want them to build a children’s ward and we are also far from Yei so we need an ambulance for emergencies and a microscope for medical examinations.”
Khemis said that the building of the ward at the health center was possible because of the prevailing peace in the area.
“This is what happens when there is peace to the people of Kupera and Lainya County in general, we need peace so that more projects will come,” he said. “We are hunters of peace and will always look for it. I briefed the governor and numerous roads are going to be rehabilitated including the ones in Kupera and Mukaya payams.”
The Jamara PHCC maternity ward foundation was built by the local government council and completed by UNHCR.