Wau Hospital

Doctors at Wau Teaching hospital have reportedly laid down their tools in protest over the disappearance of funds donated by the President to the hospital.

In March, President Salva Kiir donated 500, 000 South Sudanese Pounds to the state Ministry of Health to support operations at the hospital.

But the minister allegedly diverted the money elsewhere.

The minister, James Patrice Ibrahim was summoned by the state parliament in June to account for the funds that the MPs said were meant for those working in the hospital.

Ibrahim requested for more time to submit relevant documents indicating how the funds were spent.

But it is reported that doctors at Wau hospital have failed to show up for work for the last week.

According to officials, the doctors are demanding accountability for the President’s funds meant for them.

Members of Wau state legislative assembly visited the hospital on Monday after learning about the strike.

Honorable Agiu Athuai Agiu said they found no doctor at the children’s ward, and only one doctor attending to about 300 patients.

“We also found out is that there are generally 5 medical doctors on government payroll that are working in the entire hospital, the rest are part-time doctors. That means, if they work and don’t get paid, they have the right to leave and find something else to do to make a living,” said Honorable Athuai.

“Honestly, the hospital is operating in a way that is not good for our people.”

The Secretary for the Traders Union at Wau hospital confirmed that the absence of the medical workers is in relations to the missing 500, 000 pounds donated by Kiir.

Pangarasio Beda Uchin said that the doctors are demanding for their share, although they have not officially declared their strike.

“They have not sat down and officially declared their strike, but up to now the workers at the hospital do not know where this money has gone to. They feel their right is being denied to them,” he said.

The state minister of health had told the MPs that he used about 200, 000 pounds for the partial renovation of the hospital ward.

Patrice Ibrahim also said he gave the remaining 300,000 pounds to the administration at Wau hospital.

But the administrators at the hospital denied receiving such money.