The Minister of Health, Dr Riek Gai, has warned of what he calls abnormal death rate among children inside the UN camps.

Dr Gai says it was initially reported last year that over 20 children would die each day in the camps.

He says UNMISS responded by stopping an agency that was getting death certificates from the Juba Teaching Hospital, and started burying the bodies at a graveyard near the camp in Juba.

“UNMISS sometime back in early 2014 contacted an NGO to conduct the burials, because you cannot make burials without having death certificates. So, the agency coordinates with the Juba Teaching Hospital to get the death certificates.” Dr Gai explained.

“After a few weeks, we realized that the death toll in the UNMISS compound was abnormal, sometimes 24 children per day.

Dr. Gai urged the police authorities to take the matter seriously.

“If burials can just take place simply like that, you just die and be taken to the graveyard, buried without procedures, that one needs some answers,” he added.

In response, UNMISS spokesperson Ariane Quentier said the mission had done nothing illegal.  She said some children had been dying of malaria, cholera, and other diseases.

However, Ms Quentier insisted it was the responsibility of the government to protect civilians so that they don’t run to the camp.

“It’s the responsibility of the national authorities, or law enforcement agencies, or security agencies to ensure that civilians in the country are being protected by their own authorities. This was not the case,” she said.

(Additional information by Joakino)