Appointment of Prof. Mayen Machut Achiek is the Revival of Health Care in South Sudan
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By Dr. Thomas Akuith Ngong, Jebel Dinka, Juba
Sunday, June 14, 2020 (PW) — The writer wishes to deliver his countless thanksto H.E. Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, for appointing Prof. Mayen Machut Achiek as the Undersecretary of the National Ministry of Health. I thank you Mr. President for responding to the cries of South Sudanese who have chronically been hit by health catastrophes. Surely, that is how the goodness of a leader is felt. Good news is always good news.
Upon hearing the appointment of the man I would call here as”Health Care Revivalist for South Sudan”, I was overexcited to the fullest. And I hope it’s not me alone in that emotional atmosphere of excitation. But me with millions of other South Sudanese who, on a day-to-day basis, heavily faceenormous health challenges which are man-madein nature. Let me assure South Sudanese population that our intractable pain is relieved with the appointment of Prof. Mayen Machut Achiek as the Undersecretary of the National Ministry of Health.
I am optimistic that the man, as busily tasked with the technicalities of the Ministry,will do formidable changes. Prof. Mayen is a Dean of School of Medicine at the University of Juba. He is also a Senior Lecturer of Surgery and Physiology at the same University. He is the Acting and Deputy Chairman of South Sudan General Medical Council (SSGMC). He additionally served in various positions during his undergraduate and postgraduate studies both in the Sudan and the UK.
He is a Fellow in Colorectal and Laproscopic Surgery (King’s College London, UK), Consultant General Surgeon (The Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, UK), MBBS Graduate (University of Gezira, Sudan). He is one of academic intelligentsia in the country. He is a renowned senior surgeon with blessed hands. His appointment did not come for no clear reason. He is a hard-working surgeon. In his deanship, he greatly improved the School ofMedicine in so many ways.
He recruited a satisfactorily required number of departmental lecturers. The students and administrative staff members of the School of Medicine love him thanks to his positive hard work. He is prompt in addressing issues of concern. Prof. Mayen is a sociable, approachable, and loving person, whether as a medical doctor, as an administrator or as a parent. He is a peace-loving doctor. He is a medical dictionary for a bunch of medical enthusiasts. He is a superb guardian and great advisor.
South Sudan Health Care System has awful lots of challenges pending speedy address. These challenges range from insufficient health care services, low wages for medical doctors and health professionals, lack of incentives for medical and clinical interns and unemployment of qualified medical personnel in government hospitals and primary health care centers and units.
I would wish to grab myself this opportunity to elucidate each of such challenges. But the question that begs for answers is “why is our health care system down and the MOH has a share in the national budget”?
Health care services in the public hospitals and health facilities are sub-standard and inadequate for public consumption. The reason is not far from the fact that there is a lack of political will to serve our citizenry in good faith. To be straightforward, there are no essential drugs, well-equipped laboratories, and investigative equipment in our public health facilities. On top, there are no enough admission beds in the wards, 24/7-electricity and even good structures all over South Sudan.
Winston S. Churchill said, “Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have”. So, health of South Sudanese citizens should be a priority.Again, health and medical staff are lowly waged. Imagine, a doctor receives SSP 3200, nurse/midwife SSP 2000 and a pharmacist/lab technician SSP 2500 per month. Please forgive me if those are wrong estimates. But all we need is the quality health service in our country.
What will motivate them to work in the hospital days and nights? How can a health care worker feed, treat or educate his/her family with that little salary? It is a challenging situation. Moreover, medical interns are key people in any hospitals. They are primary agents who intervene in assessment and management of patient conditions in the hospital before medical registrars & consultants. But they are made to work for free.
An intern works for ≥ 665 days without a single South Sudanese Pound given to him/her by the national MOH. Those days are the prescribed period for the award of a license to legally practice Medicine. Are interns prisoners who are conditionallyforced to work voluntarily on a timely basis. It is obvious that pisoners work that way because of their crimes or offences. What about interns? What have they done wrong to the Health Ministry?
It looks like a kind of punishment to them. There is no motivation fees for their transport and needs. Who will help the internswhile their families know that they havegraduated? The last point I want to bring to spotlight is the low turn-up of medical personnel in government hospitals. It is because the working conditions there are unfavorable. Some even ended up working outside South Sudan and majority are working in the private hospitals.
When those conditions are well addressed, they will lovely turn up for full duties. As such, our people will have extensive access to health care services across our great country. Jesus said ” Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17). Therefore, give to doctors what is doctors’. As I write this piece, I know there are huge challenges in front of our new Undersecretary of the national MOH, but I hope he will iron themout with time.
The trust of Mr. President uponhim is not nugatory but invaluable. The President has heard him through his wonderfulachievements. The cries of South Sudanese for better health care services is met with his appointment. I don’t have any scepticism about him at all. Those challenges to do with insufficient health care services, underemployment of health staff and lack of incentives for house officers will be his prime foci.
Last but not least, I am grateful that the right man is appointed in the right place. With COVID-19 pandemic and other key health issues threatening our lives, we only place our hopes on him. The writer finally wishes him all the best in his new responsibility.
The writer, Dr. Thomas Akuith Ngong, is an MBBS graduand from the University of Juba and a Health Secretary at Bahr el Ghazal Youth Union. He lives at Jebel Dinka Area in Juba. He is contactable aerially on 0921809762 or electronically via thomasakuiz88@gmail.com.
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