The coordinator of the HIV/AIDS Commission at the Lakes State Ministry of Health has died after suffering a suspected stroke, state health officials said Thursday.
Isaac Mabior Mayen, who also served as a director under the Department of Preventive Health Services, died Wednesday after being treated at Rumbek State Hospital and later transferred to Mapuordit Hospital, officials said. He had worked at the state health ministry for nearly 20 years.
Dr. Gabriel Makuac, a medical officer at Rumbek State Hospital, told Radio Tamazuj that Mayen was admitted through the outpatient department with weakness on the left side of his body and severe headache — symptoms consistent with a stroke.
“When I arrived, I found he had weakness of the left upper and lower limbs and was complaining of pain,” Makuac said. “Our initial diagnosis pointed to a stroke.”
He said doctors planned further tests to determine whether the stroke was hemorrhagic or ischemic, but the patient’s family requested a transfer before additional examinations could be conducted. Although a referral to Juba had been considered, the family opted to take him to Mapuordit Hospital.
Makuac said the exact cause of the stroke could not be confirmed but added that high blood pressure was detected during treatment.
Lakes State Health Director General Dr. Maker Malok confirmed Mayen’s death and described the onset of symptoms, including limb weakness, facial deviation and headache.
“He was taken immediately to Rumbek State Hospital where his blood pressure was found to be high,” Malok said. “He did not recover.”
At Mapuordit Hospital, Malok said, Mayen developed additional complications, including neck stiffness and difficulty speaking, before dying the following morning.
Health officials said meningitis was initially considered as a possible diagnosis because of neck rigidity, but no cases have been registered in Lakes State hospitals in recent months.
Malok urged residents to undergo regular screening for hypertension, describing it as a “silent killer” that can lead to sudden stroke if left untreated.
He also advised the public to take precautions during the hot season, though officials said no meningitis outbreak has been recorded in the state.