By Hou Akot Hou
Medics in Aweil reported that they are treating about 81 patients who were injured during the riot that erupted in Aweil Town, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State on Friday, last week.
The violence was triggered by the killing of South Sudanese nationals allegedly by the Sudanese Armed Forces.
Deng Piol Theip, the director of Aweil Hospital, told this outlet on Tuesday that among the 81 injured, 31 are Sudanese nationals and 51 are South Sudanese. The injuries sustained by the patients include gunshot wounds and injuries inflicted by police forces.
Piol urged the public to be vigilant about the whereabouts of their relatives. He advised anyone concerned about a missing loved one to check Aweil Hospital to see if they are among the admitted patients receiving treatment.
“There is a patient named Ayom Deng,” Piol explained. “He hails from Gogrial in Warrap but currently resides in Wanyjok Town at the Kan-ajak neighborhood with his family. His chief is Deng Wol. He sustained injuries to his foot and hand during the riot.”
Piol continued, “we need to perform surgery, but no one has arrived to sign the consent form, and we also lack blood in the blood bank.”
Thiep also noted that other patients reported having relatives in remote border areas like Majok-Yithiou and Gok-machar. However, they are unable to contact them due to unreliable network connectivity in those regions.
“We also have a patient named Angui Gararng Diing from the Pakier clan,” Piol disclosed. “He was injured in Majok-Yithiou Municipality and hails from Malual-Center in Aweil North County. His parents need to visit him at the hospital. He sustained a gunshot wound to his right foot.”
The doctor added that the lack of blood in the blood bank has significantly hampered their ability to treat patients with serious injuries sustained during the recent violence.