Focus on Health Institution and Agricultural Sector, a South Sudanese Student challenges the Government

Lagu Michael, a 33-year old student from Nimule in Eastern Equatoria State who is currently pursuing a diploma course in clinical medicine and public health made the appeal to Juba Monitor in Arua where the Kajo Kijo health training institute has been relocated.

Lagu said that when he joined the Ministry of Health in 2006 in South Sudan, there were only five trained midwifes in the country.

“The numbers of health workers in south Sudan are very few therefore efforts to produce more clinical officers and public health workers is crucial for the country,” he said adding that the most important thing that the government ought to do is to stop war in order for the country to stabilize so that more schools and colleges can be established in South Sudan.

“There are many South Sudanese in the Diaspora who have the interest of establishing schools, unfortunately, they cannot do so because of war, conflict and insecurity in the country.”

He expressed that the government of south Sudan need to embark on peace building and bring about stability in the country so that many South Sudanese living in the diaspora can comfortably come back home and help develop the country.

Lagu feels that the government of South Sudan should invest more in institutions that would create development and wealth for the country instead of allocating more money for the military weapons. He feels that health sector and agriculture should be prioritized by the government in terms of budget allocations.

“As it is now, it is very hard to get trained clinical officers in some of the government hospitals in South Sudan and a big shame that the country’s health sector still relies more on community health workers and traditional lab attendance to do the job,’’ he explained adding that the government need to spare some money to support medical students and also assist young south Sudanese students who are interested in pursuing medical courses but lack resources to do so.

Mizeredi Margaret another south Sudanese student from Yambio, Western Equatoria state who is also a diploma student in clinical medicine and public health at Kajo Keji institute said that she started her studies in South Sudan with AMREF, unfortunately, the fee was too high and her family could not afford. She therefore opted to join Kajo Kijo Institute in Arua where the fee are a bit affordable and this has made her realize her dream.

“When I go back to my country South Sudan I am going to utilize the knowledge I have gained and open a health institution to save life of my fellow countrymen and women,” she said.

Mizeredi said it was her dream to become a doctor and she is glad that the dream is becoming a reality very soon as she is in her finally semester.

Meanwhile Juan Jemmilly, a 23-years old third year student from Kajo Keji who is also pursuing clinical medicine and public health said that they are living in the camps in Uganda due to the instability in South Sudan.

Juan who developed interest in pursuing a course in medical health right after completing her O level studies said that many people back home are suffering a great deal due to lack of sufficient medical help, she therefore intends to go back home and serve her fellow countrymen and women.

Mr. Lou Louis Koboji, the director of the institution said, the school was opened in 2013 with the mission of improving health care in South Sudan and to save lives of South Sudanese people, however when conflict erupted in the country in 2016, the school lost two students and the incident forced them to relocate to Uganda.

By Ganiko Samson Jerry