By Bida Elly David
Juba Medical Complex (JMC) in collaboration with a group of doctors from As-Salam health care in Egypt yesterday discussed ways of improving the medical facility through provision of advance facilities and consultants.
The group of doctors consisted of senior specialists from different departments such as the Orthopaedics, Traumatology and Neurosurgery.
Speaking to the press yesterday, Dr. Ronald Mande Woro, the Director for Juba Medical Complex said that the coming of the doctors was aimed at assessing the medical facility and provide medical services that could not be accessed easily.
He said that the presence of the expertise was one way to reduce financial costs on patients who tend to seek for further medication in foreign countries.
“The doctors from Egypt came to hear what we need from them for easy provision. Their coming is not just for formalities but to help us. The presence of these qualified Egyptian doctors in Juba Medical Complex is to deliver quality medical services that would reduce financial burden of travelling and coming back. Their coming to Juba Medical complex is to hear what we are lacking for easy provision. Some of the people may have conditions that cannot be solved but through them, it will be simplified. Obviously there are people who can afford and people whose conditions may not be solved here due to lack of facilities but our association with Al-Salam is to solve such problems of having facilities here. They will see what we need and can help us to access those things locally here so that to reduce the cost of medication, transport outside ‘’ he said.
Furthermore, Dr. Mande pointed out Orthopaedics and neurosurgical departments being areas of improvement due to lack of facilities.
He added that with the presence of the experts, these departments would be in high turn of transformation.
“We have problems with Orthopaedics and neurosurgical department due to lack of facilities. We have got now Neurosurgeon and the Orthopaedics Consultants. We have got people who deal with liver problems. As you know in South Sudan we have got a lot of liver problems as well as Orthopaedic issues. The Orthopaedic problems here are mainly back and knee problems and in addition, we have Neurological problems but we mostly refer them outside because there was no body to attend to them’’ he added.
He appreciated the medical experts for having come despite the County’s situation.
“Most doctor upon hearing about South Sudan become scared to come but God has really brought you and we are very happy that you have come for your three days of stay’’ he said.
On her part, Amira Hamuda, the Director for business development for Alameda health care that their coming was not only to bring expertise but also to to invest in the people of South Sudan.
“When we discussed not just to bring our expertise here but actually invest in the people here. The director for Juba Medical Complex was very much supportive to his health care professional working here and wanted to elevate the experience and the services given to all South Sudanese people and neighbouring Countries. His plan and vision is to work on being the Central herb of Africa where people can come and get their medication and their treatment same like any developed Country. With this vision, we are able to work and to start with Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery and accordingly we were able to come here. Through us, the doctors, nurses in JMC will be able to get training to get skills. Even we are here to cut a long way for the patients who would be spending lot money elsewhere to carry their medication within the hospital’’ she echoed.
However, Dr. Amira reiterated that improving the Cardiology department and bringing technology closer to Juba Medical Complex (JMC) would be their high priority.
“We will be Starting with the Cardiology department and working aggressively on investment bringing technology from our partners where people can be seen here at this very facility(JMC) also being trained and working on being treated by our radiologists from Cairo. This is just the beginning and we are indeed glad and make Juba Medical Complex a best hospital for all the world’’ she said.
Finally, she said that their decision to reach Juba Medical Complex was upon the interest manifested by the medical director through positive competency.
“We have taken Juba Medical Complex as a scope for our visit because of Dr. Mande who has the vision of bringing medical expertise to serve the citizens as well as develop the services in the Country’’ she said.