File - Diesel-powered portable or static power generator commonly used in South Sudan

Al-Sabbah Children’s Hospital in Juba will now get a brand new generator after a baby on oxygen died due to the electricity-related issue recently.

This development comes just days after Eye Radio broadcast the story.

On Monday, a father described to Eye Radio how he lost his baby at the public health facility.

Peter Madol said his 8-month-old baby boy died in his arms after the management switched off the generator in the middle of the night nearly 3 weeks ago.

Prior to this incident, another father – Rajab Muhandis – attributed the death of his new-born to nursing negligence.

Both the management of al-Sabah Children’s Hospital and Jubek ministry of health which supervises the health facility described these allegations as false.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Thursday, the Jubek Minister of Health – Dr. Salle Lo-Lako – confirmed the purchase of the generator.

Dr. Lo-Lako said this followed a series of meetings with Healthlink, an organization that is implementing the hospital project:

“I was with Healthlink trying to find out because we want to put an end to this issue of the generator, so they have already assured me to purchase a new generator which is going to cover the whole night,” he said.

Dr. Lo-Lako went on to acknowledge the reported nursing negligence.

He said some nurses may have acted unprofessionally after the Healthlink stopped paying them incentives since January this year.

However, he said the health workers will soon receive a backdated motivational cash.

“HealthLink who is providing services is in Al Sabbah to make sure they ratify the list so that they start paying because the incentives will be effective as from the first of April, which mean they may get like two months incentives.”

Dr. Salle Lo-Lako, Jubek minister of health

But Dr. Lo-Lako had earlier denied poor services that led to several deaths at the public hospital.

Al Sabbah hospital is supported by many development partners, including USAID, UKAID, Canada, and Sweden prompting some activists to call for his resignation.