The communities of Wau County in Western Bahr el-Ghazal State have expressed concern over the lack of medical supplies at Ngo-Baggari and Ngo-Dakala health facilities.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Wednesday, the residents said the facilities were paralyzed following the pulling out of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) last year.
They said that the facilities also lacked doctors and were being supervised by guards, putting the lives of pregnant women at risk.
One of the residents, Biajo Batista Uku, emphasized that there was a need for the State Ministry of Health to render services in the area.
“There are no drugs at Ngo-Dakala and people are saying the Red Cross contract has ended. Only watchmen are at the medical facilities, no doctors, nurses or midwives,” said Uku.
“If a woman wants to deliver, she has to be taken to Wau by a motorcycle or a bicycle. We have challenges accessing Wau on emergencies because the road is not good and we do not have an ambulance,” he said.
The community also called on the partners to intervene by providing an ambulance to the health facilities.
“If there is any organization that could help the communities of Baggari, let them bring an ambulance here so that in case of an emergency, people can rush to Wau,” he said.
Area Chief Moses Khamis Lokaki sressed that the facilities have no drugs.
“If I can remember in 2018 and 2021, there was an organization called Halima which was supporting the health facility very well. There were incentives for the workers and treatment was available. If Halima is no longer there, the government should lobby for any other organization that could help because our situation is well-known,” he said.