A group of foreign embassies has called for increased public funding for South Sudan’s health sector, citing the Ebola outbreak in the region and the need to ensure the availability of health workers involved in monitoring, detection, and response activities.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the embassies of Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States said the outbreak had highlighted the need for timely and regular government funding for public health services.

The statement said this includes the payment of salaries for public health workers, including those supporting Ebola preparedness and response efforts.

“The current outbreak of Ebola in the region highlights the urgent need for South Sudanese public funding of the health sector,” the embassies said, adding that regular payment of health workers remains important for health monitoring and emergency response.

In late June, South Sudan and the United States signed a $146 million health cost-sharing agreement aimed at supporting the delivery of health services in the country.

Under the arrangement, the two sides agreed on a framework for sharing responsibilities and costs related to health programmes. The agreement followed discussions on strengthening health service delivery and improving coordination between government institutions and development partners.

The latest statement from the embassies did not refer directly to the cost-sharing agreement but comes amid continued discussions on the role of domestic financing in sustaining South Sudan’s health sector.

Health partners have repeatedly called for stronger government investment in public health systems, including the regular payment of health workers and support for disease surveillance and emergency preparedness.

The embassies said continued attention to public health financing is important as countries in the region respond to emerging health threats, including Ebola.