Pariang Hospital in Ruweng Administrative Area is currently facing a critical shortage of essential drugs, according to the local health department.
Benjamin Munybang, the Director of Pariang Hospital, expressed concern during an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Thursday morning, revealing that patients are in a dire situation as health facilities struggle with dwindling drug supplies.
Benjamin explained that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) were expected to provide medications to Pariang Hospital. However, no supplies have been delivered thus far.
He further elaborated that despite communicating with the Ruweng Administrative Area Ministry of Health in early June, the drugs have not reached Pariang Hospital due to road inaccessibility and security issues between Warrap State and Abiemnom County in Ruweng Administrative Area.
“All eight counties within Ruweng Administrative Area are experiencing a shortage of drug supplies, and unfortunately, no deliveries have been made,” Benjamin emphasized. As a consequence of this scarcity, the staff at the Primary Health Care Unit are unable to function normally.
Authorities in Ruweng have raised concerns about the lack of drug supplies, which affects the hospital, all eight county Primary Care Centers (PCC), and Primary Health Care Units (PHCU). Benjamin appealed to health partners responsible for supplying medical drugs to Ruweng Administrative Area, urging them to intervene. He highlighted the urgent need for drugs within the community, emphasizing that lives are at stake.
“The drug supplies that were dispatched have not yet reached Ruweng Administrative Area. The population is in desperate need of medication to treat their illnesses. Every day, people in our community are losing their lives because they cannot access the drugs they require,” Benjamin stated.
An administrative health official, speaking to Radio Tamazuj, reported an increase in diseases such as malaria, amoeba, and diarrhea. Regrettably, due to the lack of drugs, these cases remain untreated.
Elijah Wal Chol, the Director-General of the Ministry of Health in Ruweng Administrative Area, confirmed the insufficient supply of drugs across all eight counties. He clarified that it is not just Parinag Hospital, but other healthcare facilities as well that are affected. “The shortage of drugs is affecting various facilities in Ruweng,” he acknowledged.
Wal added that he was informed by the Pariang Hospital administrator and the health department that the drug shortage is prevalent in all areas of Ruweng. However, he expressed hope that the drug supplies might arrive within the next two weeks, potentially alleviating the crisis.
“The trucks carrying our drug supplies arrived in Abiemnom County of Ruweng Administrative Area in June. Their intended route was to continue to Pariang, the headquarters of Ruweng Administrative Area, to distribute these drugs to the eight counties,” Wal explained. Unfortunately, due to road inaccessibility and insecurity, the trucks were forced to return to Lakes State after reaching Abiemnom County during the rainy season.
“I am currently in Juba. I came here to explore options for returning our drugs to Juba and finding alternative transportation methods to deliver them to Pariang, the headquarters of Ruweng Administrative Area,” Wal shared.
Gordon Diu, a parent seeking treatment at Pariang Hospital, expressed the community’s plea for drug supplies. Ruweng Administrative Area has been grappling with drug scarcity since the beginning of the year.
“I came to Pariang Hospital today seeking treatment for my illness. After testing positive for malaria, the doctors informed me that they have no medication available unless I purchase it from private clinics or the market,” Diu explained.
“We earnestly request the United Nations agencies, especially UNICEF and Care International, who are partners at the Ruweng Administrative Area health department, to provide us with much-needed drug supplies. Without prompt action from the government to address the drug shortage in Ruweng, lives are at imminent risk,” he pleaded.