By Akol Madut Ngong
The Upper Nile University Medical Students Association (UNUMSA) on Thursday, 22nd April, 2022 at the Freedom Hall organized a graduation ceremony of the first batch of medical students from the university under the theme: “The Lives of Patients is our Priority.”
The first Deputy Speaker in the Revitalized Transitional National Legislative Assembly who was the Guest of Honour in the graduation ceremony of the first batch in the Republic of South Sudan Oyet Nathanial Periena quoted, “going to school and finishing studies is encouraged’’.
“I appeal to the parents in this country that we must support and promote the education of the girl child just as we do the same for the boy child, this is one of the sure ways of building our society,” he said.
Pierino added that, the health profile of the country is still dark and this should be answered by the government who best solves that problem.
“I have just stated that our health profile is very dark with accumulation of the numerous sicknesses that take lives and souls of our people, the killer diseases which are common malaria, water borne diseases and many others that would be easily treatable but lack of efficiency in our health sector,” he explained.
“Our medical graduates, you have gone to a new stage, you have been in school learning skills, you are dealing with lives, the life of everybody, everybody who goes to school to study a different profession including teachers who taught you, their lives are in your hands. The citizens from all works of life, their lives are in your hands,” he stated.
“My appeal to you is adhere to always remember the skills that you got and you stick to your medical ethics including serving the people with delight, with justice, respecting the patients, their choice matters a lot when you handle them,” Pierino said.
“Do not harm anyone if you meet a patient who is not your friend, who is not your community member, make sure that you handle them with respect,” he added.
“If you arrange yourself according to your specialist, according to your department, the medical department needed in hospital, ten of you can open a clinic or hospital, it will appear difficult in the beginning but you have the skills, what you needed is a space. You can get equipment. You need to do something for your country” Pierino expressed.
The Mayor of Juba, Michael Ladu Allah-Jabu urged the graduates to be responsible because they will be dealing with human lives from now on. So, they should be cautious and accountable.
“We have people who are unable to treat themselves in the private hospitals, they do go to the government hospital and they will not get services, we have to return for correction, you had been facing different conditions, you have been studying to transform lives of common citizens,” he added.
Allah-Jabu quoted that, “there are three rules of life, first if you don’t go after what you want, you will never get it, if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no and finally if you don’t step forward, you always remain in the same place.”
Meanwhile the national Minister of health Yolanda Awel Deng said that South Sudan health care system is going to be strong although there are numerous challenges in the country.
“We have got the wealth, this is the wealth of our nation, our human resources, our students, our young people, it is not the oil alone, our human resource is within us, the oil will finish but our power, our strength and skills will move the country ahead,” she said.
He appealed to the teachers and lecturers to teach their students and cover all areas of studies and not just to rush them to get certificates. They should produce quality and professional students.