Students sit for Medical Council accreditation test|Courtest-SSBC

South Sudan General Medical Council has conducted exams for 74 medical students to obtain accreditation to practice the profession in the country.

The medics including 23 pharmacists and 9 dental surgeons took the exams on Thursday.

Dr. James Alphones, the Deputy Chairperson of the South Sudan Medical Council says the practice is to legalize and regulate medical practitioners in the country.

He said the exercise is to ensure that they are safe when rendering services to the people.

” We have tested your clinical skills so that when you (they) go to any health facility, you become safe to render service to our people.”

Some of the examined students, according to Dr. Alphones were already practicing in some health facilities.

“Some of you before these exams are already practicing in some of the health facilities, which is a grave mistake from today.

The medical council warned those practicing without accreditation says “maybe up to the next month, this practice will be illegal in the Republic of South Sudan if you don’t have permanent registration from the Medical Council.”

On his part, Dr Arkangelo Ayigo Mona, the Principal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons says some of the students passed through is hands are qualified.

“I’ve seen most of you passing through my hands and you are already qualified to be a doctor, but you need to be accredited very to be recognized worldwide.”

Meanwhile, Joy Rubena, a dentist examiner said the exercise was the first of its kind in the country.

“It is the first time for us to get into the system of examination and doing (issuing) licenses for our doctors.

The officials spoke during the launching of the medical test at Juba Teaching Hospital on Thursday.

The General Medical Council is the body responsible for the registration and regulation of medical, dental and pharmaceutical professions as well as the regulation of health institutions and services in the country.

It was established through the SSGMC Provisional Order, 2014.

In November 2023 the Deputy Secretary General of the Government urged the newly appointed South Sudan Medical Council to collect and provide database for all medical facilities and practitioners in the country