Delegates at the Annual Ministerial Advisory Board meeting of the Ministry of Health pose for a group photo after the conclusion of the session in Juba. Photo credit: Ministry of Health

Health authorities have called for an increase in the national health budget allocation from 1.4 percent to 15 percent, in line with the 2001 Abuja Declaration commitment.

The call was made during the Annual Ministerial Advisory Board meeting of the Ministry of Health held in Juba.

The one-day meeting brought together national and state health leaders, directors-general, and senior officials to discuss challenges facing the country’s health sector and identify solutions to improve healthcare services.

During the meeting, state ministers of health urged the government to raise funding for the sector from the current 1.4 percent to 15 percent, in line with the Abuja Declaration.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, National Minister of Health Luke Thompson Thoan emphasized the need for increased domestic funding and stronger government ownership of the health sector.

He said that despite existing challenges and limited resources, the country should aim to raise health funding to at least seven percent of the national budget.

The World Health Organization Representative in South Sudan, Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, called for innovative approaches to transform the health sector and improve services for communities across the country.

Speaking on behalf of state participants, Jonglei State Minister of Health Jehan Mechak Deng stressed the need for stronger national support in the supply of medicines and vaccines, health workforce development, and improvement of health infrastructure.

The meeting also called on the government to mobilize more funds from oil and non-oil revenues to meet the 15 percent health financing target under the 2001 Abuja Declaration.

According to reports, the health sector remains severely underfunded, with only 1.4 to 2 percent of the 2024/2025 national budget allocated to health.

As a result, the sector continues to rely heavily on support from partners such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the World Bank to deliver health services and support key programmes, including the Health Sector Transformation Project (HSTP).