China donates medicines, equipment to support health services in South Sudan

JUBA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday donated medicines and equipment to support health services in South Sudan's main referral hospital.

"The medical supplies and equipment for Juba Teaching Hospital are crucial. We all know that Juba Teaching Hospital covers a very large catchment population, and one of the challenges we face is ensuring continuous medical supplies and equipment to maintain standard care in the hospital," said Harriet Pasquale, director-general of medical services in the Ministry of Health, during the handover ceremony held in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The medicines and instruments, jointly donated by the China National Health Commission and the Health Commission of Anhui Province of China, cover more than 300 types of basic medicines commonly used in cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and endocrinology departments.

The donated items, totaling 180 boxes and worth 182,000 U.S. dollars, also include daily-use operating room consumables and instruments in otorhinolaryngology, gynecology and obstetrics, and general surgery departments.

"We, the South Sudanese, are grateful for all the support we have been receiving from China, not only in providing medical services but also in ensuring that training is always available to our people," Pasquale added.

"Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in South Sudan. The fact that you put more attention into addressing that means that you have contributed to addressing major health issues in the country," she said.

Anthony Lupai Simon, director-general of Juba Teaching Hospital, commended the Chinese government for being good partners to the people of South Sudan. He said that the Chinese medical teams not only provide medical supplies but also treat patients in not only Juba Teaching Hospital, but also outreach stations in Lakes State, Northern Bahr El Ghazal State and Jonglei State.

Ma Qiang, the Chinese ambassador to South Sudan, said the Chinese medical teams have established several new labs and centers such as the China-South Sudan medical telediagnosis center, medical microbiology laboratory and the pathology laboratory in Juba Teaching Hospital. They also carried out on-site training programs for local medical personnel, and invited 42 South Sudanese counterparts to China for further study.

"As we know, people's health is an important symbol of national strength and prosperity. The South Sudanese government has always regarded improving health services as a key national development goal, and China has also made health-cause development a priority in our bilateral cooperation," Ma said.

Chen Si, the team leader of the 11th batch of the Chinese medical team in South Sudan, said that the donated medicines and instruments have been carefully selected to address the specific medical needs of Juba Teaching Hospital. He expressed confidence that these items will help save lives and improve the overall well-being of the people in South Sudan.

The expansion and modernization of Juba Teaching Hospital is set to start in the first half of 2024, with the help of China. Since China dispatched its first batch of medical teams to South Sudan in 2012, the Chinese medical teams have consistently donated medical equipment and medicines in urgent need to the hospital.