The main referral hospital in greater Bahr El Ghazal is no longer issuing birth certificates because the state medical commission has run out of the right papers used for making the certificates. The responsible official blamed a shortage of money and a delay in ordering the new forms.

Edmond Sebit Ramadan, the acting Director of the Commission in Wau Teaching Hospital, told Wau Diocese’s ‘Voice of Hope’ radio that the commission did not have enough money because the fees it collected were sent to state coffers rather than remaining on hand for needed expenditures. He also said that it took too long to process the authorization to order new certificates.

The proper forms ran out about one and half months ago. The commission is now issuing “To Whom It May Concern” documents instead of birth certificates.

Forms for issuing Age Assessment Certificates are also absent. Such forms are often needed by citizens who never acquired a birth certificate, or lost it. These certificates may be needed for judicial proceedings, land acquisition, or applications for other relevant documents such as nationality certificates and passports.

Photo by Radio Tamazuj: Wau Teaching Hospital