By Mary Poni
The Chairperson of Specialized Committee for Health in the R-TNLA, Hon. Abuk Ayiik is calling for the increment of health sector budget allocation to the tune of at least 12 percent of the annual financial budget
Hon. Abuk said that the budget for health sector that was passed a few months ago is very little to serve the nation’s population.
“It is a concern of the parliament. The budget for the health sector needs to be increased to at least 12 percent of the national annual budget” she said.
She stated that the health service provision in the country is a very big problem which needed enough resources.
Abuk stressed that this time around, the money should be increased for all the health facilities nationwide.
According to her, the health budget portion of 34.7 billion South Sudanese Pounds is very little – likening it with other countries where, according to her, health and education budget stand at around 13 percent from the annual budget.
“If you go to all the 10 states and its 3 administrative areas, most of the hospitals are not working and I form a small committee to survey the health status in the states therefore, I am yet to receive more reports from them” said lawmaker Ayiik.
The legislator noted that the compiled report by her committee will be tabled in the parliament for further discussion regarding the issues of the health services.
She reason that since the donors are going away, leaving the health issues to the government, the service cluster desk and the minister of health should address these critical issues of the health budget during the cabinet meeting as the country people are concern about it.
“The people of this country are in dire need for quality service for their health because it is very poor, and we don’t want to continue having poor services to our citizens,” she states.
Ayiik said only few South Sudanese can afford to treat themselves outside the country because they have the capacity. She then questioned that what will be the fate of those ones who can’t afford to fly out or abroad for treatment.
“As a government, a serious measure needs to be taken for equal and fair treatment of people in the country,” the lawmakers emphasized.
In September the Transitional National Legislative Assembly passed a whopping record 1.4 trillion South Sudanese Pounds budget for the 2022/2023 Fiscal Year. However out of that huge budget the health sector was allocated only 34.7 billion SSP