South Sudan health officials felt relieved after the Tenth batch of China medical team donated medical supplies and equipment to the main referral Juba Teaching Hospital on Thursday.
Victoria Anib Majur, undersecretary for the ministry of health said the medical supplies and equipment arrived at the time when the Health Pooled Fund (HPF)- the largest donor-financing mechanism for healthcare in South Sudan cut budgetary support.
“I want to say this support has come timely in a time when the ministry of health is experiencing budget cut from the health pooled fund, leading to lack of supplies to many health facilities across the country,” Majur said during the handover ceremony held in Juba.
“So I am sure Juba Teaching Hospital will benefit from these medical supplies and equipment,” she added.
She said the country received support from Chinese medical experts during the COVID-19 pandemic and also received support in terms of preventive measures for COVID-19.
Majur said that modernization of Juba Teaching Hospital would not have taken place without the support from the government of China.
The quantity of cartons of donated items is up to 150, with a total value of more than 118,000 U.S dollars.
Anthony Lupai Simon, director general of Juba Teaching Hospital said the medical supplies and equipment arrived at the hour of need.
“On behalf of juba Teaching Hospital and the ministry of health we say thank you China for this gift that is going to help people of South Sudan,” he said.
Lupai said the work of the Chinese medical team is not limited to only juba teaching hospital, adding that the team has been also conducting medical outreach outside in juba.
For example, the Chinese medical team reached out to communities in Terekeka and recently they treated people living in the oil-rich Paloch area of Upper Nile state.
Ma Qiang, said the drugs and instruments donated are jointly purchased by China National Health Commission and Health Commission of Anhui province of China, covering more than 280 types of basic drugs commonly used in cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and endocrinology departments, as well as daily-using operating room consumables and instruments in otorhinolaryngology, gynecology and obstetrics, and general surgery departments.
“Considering the needs of Counterpart Hospital Cooperation Mechanism Construction which focuses on fighting against infectious diseases, Chinese government also purchased anti-malaria materials such as long-acting medicated mosquito nets and anti-mosquito sprays,” Ma said.
Ma said the China medical team has established an electronic gastroscope center, a cervical screening center, and a remote imaging diagnosis center in Juba Teaching Hospital.
He added that the medical team has also carried out onsite training programs to local medical personnel, and invited 33 South Sudanese counterparts to China for further study.
“All of these activities contribute a lot to cultivating a large number of talents in the field of health care, and promoting the improvement of medical services in South Sudan,” Ma said.
Xu Zhangwei, team leader of China medical team said they are willing to continue to work more closely with Juba teaching hospital and contribute more to improving the health status of the people of South Sudan, and deepening the friendship between the two peoples.
“In the past six months, we not only gave consultation to local patients and carried out many operations as scheduled, but also tried to combine TCM therapy with endoscopy and cervical diseases screening, and obtained a perfect effect,” he said.
Xu said that they also arranged lectures and trainings to young medical staff in anesthesiology, laboratory and infectious diseases departments.
“Now we are preparing the first pathology center in Juba Teaching Hospital, to enrich the service scope of the hospital,” he added.
