By Moyo Jacob
Absence of Medical Workers at Maji Primary Health Care Unit PHCU in Magwi County of Eastern Equatoria State has forced the Watchman at the facility to do pharmaceutical work of prescribing drugs to patients.
In an exclusive telephone interview with Number One Citizen Daily Newspaper, Maji Boma Chief Washington DC Okwera said the Health Unit was previously supported by Health Link South Sudan and Impact Health Organization or IHO but said the contracts for the workers came to an end leaving the facility without health workers.
“We had two people working in this facility and those two workers were supported by Health Link and the other was contracted by another NGO in Nimule. That man was actually in Uganda before the lockdown and so after the lockdown, he found it difficult to come back to work. We were then left with the one of Health Link here but after sometimes, the contract got finished and now no body is at the facility” Okwera decried.
The Boma Chief said the Health Facility has now been without health personnel for a period of two months now.
“When you are sick, you come to the watchman and he will give you the medicines you want. If you want Panadol, you come with your own desire for the medicines you want, if it is Panadol, Amodiaquine, or any drug and the watchman gives to the people. This is the problem facing the Maji community” The Boma Chief added.
He said it is only the watchman holding keys for the facility and providing drugs for the patients.
Okwera however stated that during a meeting with the community of Maji, the watchman was warned and asked to stop issuing medicines to the sick.
“I called the meeting, people came and the watchman has been warned and asked to stop giving medicines to any patient” implored the Chief.
He added that he had communicated earlier with the authorities of the County Health Department and they promised to assign a medical worker to the facility but wondered why the PHCU is still without health worker up to now.
The community leader said, he has told the watchman to keep the facility closed and caleds on the sick to seek for medical attention at Abara Primary Health Care Unit PHCU or proceed to Magwi Hospital in case of serious illness. For his part, the in charge of Magwi County Health Department Okot Martin said the absence of Health Workers in Maji Boma could be true.