(WARRAP) – Health officials in Twic County, Warrap State, have appealed to the government, humanitarian organisations, and well wishers to urgently restock medicines at local health facilities to save lives.
The call follows severe shortages of essential drugs in several county health facilities, leaving medical staff unable to treat critical conditions.
Mabith Ater, medical director at Mother Teresa Hospital in Twic County, said the shortage has forced patients to seek care from private pharmacists at higher costs, endangering their health.
The hospital admits roughly 300 patients per week but cannot provide treatment for many due to missing medications such as anti-malaria drugs, antibiotics, anti-convulsants, and painkillers.
“Malaria and pneumonia cases are rising sharply. We last received a drug consignment in April, and up to now we have nothing. We are forced to refer patients to pharmacies because we cannot treat them. For four months we have had no anti-malaria or pneumonia medicines,” Ater said.
He attributed the drug shortage in part to the increasing population of returnees and refugees from Sudan, which has stretched existing supplies.
James Garang Chuor, Twic County Health Director, acknowledged the shortages and encouraged health facility directors to remain resilient while awaiting support from partners such as UNICEF.
“We are waiting for consignment from partners, which has not yet arrived. This is a general concern, and we will engage our partners to assist during this critical shortage,” Garang said.
He added that temporary measures, such as exchanging drugs between health centres, are being considered to alleviate immediate needs while awaiting new supplies.
