Western Equatoria State lawmakers visited Yambio Hospital on Tuesday to assess conditions at the main referral facility, pledging to address persistent shortages of essential drugs and delayed staff salaries.
The visit by the Yambio County Parliamentary Caucus followed growing concerns about the hospital’s ability to provide services. The lawmakers said they were following up on a report from a fact-finding mission last year that outlined critical gaps in the hospital’s operations.
“We came to assess the current situation and see whether there has been progress since our last report. Though some improvements are noticeable, many challenges remain — including drug shortages, inadequate staffing and delayed payments,” said the delegation’s leader, Rafael Anthony Azaro.
Azaro commended the hospital’s administration for maintaining services despite constraints and assured that the findings would be submitted to the state assembly and governor for “urgent attention.”
“The health sector remains one of our top priorities, and we are committed to ensuring that Yambio State Hospital receives the necessary support,” he added.
Hospital administrator John Peter Sangara outlined the challenges for the lawmakers, citing inadequate drug supplies, delayed staff incentives and a lack of consistent power.
“Our staff continue to work under difficult circumstances,” Sangara said. “The delay in salaries and shortage of medicines make it hard to provide timely services.”
Civil society activist Odetta Miwai warned that the situation has severe consequences for the community.
“When health workers are not motivated or cannot support their families, service delivery suffers, and the community pays the price,” Miwai said, calling for government and partner intervention.
Yambio State Hospital serves thousands of people across Western Equatoria, but chronic funding and supply shortages continue to threaten its operations.