Amid heavy fighting in Upper Nile state of South Sudan, Cordaid works with the local Ministry of Health to continue essential healthcare to refugees. We ensure that salaries of healthcare staff are being paid and transported 6 tons of medical supplies to Kodok.
Providing primary healthcare in Kodok has become even more important now that the conflict has engulfed most of the Upper Nile region and people from other areas fled to Fashoda county, of which Kodok is the main town. Cordaid believes we cannot turn our back on these most vulnerable people. Healthcare must continue, even where fighting and logistics are seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
"We cannot turn our back on the most vulnerable people"
Increased fighting
Fashoda county itself did not experience active fighting until May 2015, when shifting military allegiances saw the county change to an opposition-controlled area. A military attack on the main health facility in Kodok forced the healthcare staff to flee from the hospital and abandon the patients. The ICRC reported several deaths as a result. Also the Cordaid compound in Kodok suffered damage because of a random aerial bombing in July.
Salaries for health facility staff
Most healthcare workers have now returned, but the local Ministry of Health cannot pay their salaries. Therefore it is crucial that Cordaid and other agencies provide financial support. This keeps the 63 staff in the health facilities at their place of work, providing the much needed basic and essential healthcare to the people affected by the conflict.
Medication
Another problem where Cordaid stepped in was in transporting medical supplies to Fashoda. While the county was experiencing drug shortages, the drugs for Fashoda were in storage for over 3 months, both in the Juba Ministry of Health warehouse and other warehouses in Rumbek.
“Considering the quantities involved (over 11 tons of supplies) and the cost involved (it can cost as much as USD 7000 to transport a ton to Kodok from Juba), Cordaid worked in partnership with ICRC, who agreed to take over the transport of 6 tons of the supplies, while Cordaid took care of the rest. So far, over 6 tons have been transported, and plans to transport the remaining will come soon”, says Andrew Ngugi, Cordaid Health Programme Manager in South Sudan.
Cooperation
Cordaid has been working in partnership with the Ministry of Health in Fashoda county since January 2013. “In this way, Cordaid will leverage the two years of working with the county health department to build its capacity to ensure continuity of services. In the meantime, we hope peace resumes and we can have full presence on ground,” Andrew Ngugi comments.