National Cabinet meeting. (Photo/Courtesy).
The National Council of Ministers has approved the Health Sector Strategic Plan 2023-2027 presented by the health ministry to strengthen health system and transition from humanitarian aid to sustainable funding sources.
The five-year project was inaugurated in July 2023, when the national government appealed to humanitarian partners to empower the country’s health sector.
Minister of Information and Government Spokesperson Michael Makuei said the framework was approved in a cabinet meeting on Friday and the health ministry directed to replace an incorrect South Sudan map.
The strategic plan’s priorities include expanding digitization in the health sector, transitioning from humanitarian aid to sustainable funding sources and achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
Its other objectives are to strengthen leadership and management within the health system and enhance partnerships between the Ministry of Health and other organizations.
Minister Makuei said as part of the initiative, the ministry plans to sign cooperation agreements with key stakeholders and institutions to improve healthcare delivery nationwide.
“This strategic plan is connected with the National Health Policy and Health Care and Health Services. It strengthens the leadership and management of the health system,” Makuei said in a press briefing.
While reviewing the strategic plan, the official said the cabinet raised concerns over the use of an incorrect map of South Sudan in the presentation.
Makuei said the ministers identified two different maps, one of which was incorrect and ordered Ministry of Health and all other government institutions to use the right version.
South Sudan has some of the worst health indicators in the world, with the maternal mortality ratio estimated at 789 deaths per 100,000 live births, child mortality rate at 93 per 1,000 live births, and infant mortality rate at 60 per 1,000 live births.
According to Health Pooled Fund, access to healthcare service remains a challenge for many communities in South Sudan, and even reaching a health facility does not guarantee access to appropriate care.
National Health Minister Yolanda Awel recently expressed dismay over the limited funding allocated to the health sector in the annual 2024-2025 fiscal year budget, adding that the underfunding frustrates reforms implementation in the health system.
A civil society activist warned that the country’s fragile health system – which has benefited from World Health Organization (WHO) – is headed for further uncertainty with the UN agency losing its biggest donor, the United States.
This came after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing his country from WHO, as part of a series of executive orders after his inauguration, covering various issues, including immigration, foreign policy, and climate change.
Bol Deng Bol, Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan, feared that the withdrawal could have dire consequences, while urging Juba to end dependence on aid and take up the responsibility of delivering health services to its people.
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