SSDU Call on MOH Leadership to Resolve differences and focus on Responding to Dire Health Situations in the country.

SSDU Call on MOH Leadership to Resolve differences and focus on Responding to Dire Health Situations in the country.

The South Sudan Doctors Union (SSDU) has been following with dismay the flow of official
documents from the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Office of the Vice President for Services
Delivery Cluster on social media pointing to differences between the Minister and Undersecretary

over authority to initiate institutional reforms. The SSDU is worried about the image and direction of the Ministry of Health and is deeply concerned about the level of cooperation and coordination among the MoH leadership.

Whereas administrative differences over functions can happen in any institution, they are always resolved internally. We call upon leaders of the two institutions to desist from escalating the matter and treat it as an internal affair that should be resolved in closed-door meetings.
The turn of events over the weekend has sparked serious argument among medical professional. who look up to the Ministry of Health as their institution. It has deepened hopelessness among MoH workers who desire to work under a united leadership. The disagreement has further created  administrative instability at Juba Teaching Hospital, and doubt among doctors especially the p pipoHouse Officers who were assured that their outstanding issues will be addressed. Left unresolved,
such disagreements may stall progress made by MoH to address pressing issues that led to the
strike of intern doctors at Juba Teaching Hospital.
The Ministry of Health as a service delivery institution has a lot of challenges that cannot wait. Many people affected by flooding in states and administrative areas are in dire need of urgent. health services. Sick children, women in labour and victims of traffic accidents expect to find doctors, nurses, and midwives on duty. Millions of lives are at risk of water-borne diseases,
Malaria, HIV, Ebola, and COVID-19 infections. The SSDU urges the Minister and Undersecretary to be mindful of their mandate and responsibility towards saving lives of South Sudanese. Without intervention from higher authorities, the current differences may also affect the smooth functioning of the Services Delivery Cluster (Health), and the country’s response against COVID- 19 since the Vice President (SC), the Minister, and the Undersecretary are the top lead of the National Taskforce on COVID-19 Pandemic and /or Services Delivery Cluster.

The SSDU further calls on H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit and the entire Presidency to quickly intervene, find a lasting solution to the differences and put the MoH back on the right path. The SSDU hopes the Presidency will encourage the MoH leadership to maintain high integrity and professionalism and carry out their mandate for the benefit of the people of South Sudan the statement obtained by Thejubamirror news desk.