The look of new ICU at Juba teaching hospital that was commissioned in December 20, 2022, by the government - Credit: Dr. Anthony Lupai

The government has commissioned an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Juba Teaching Hospital to nurse patients with serious illnesses including those undergoing surgical operations. 

The Director of the Juba Teaching Hospital, Dr. Anthony Lupai told Eye Radio on Tuesday December 20, 2022, the ICU will treat critically ill and gravely injured patients – that require life support equipment and close supervision.

He added that many patients had succumbed to treatable conditions in the past – due to the lack of a functional ICU.

After it was built through the China-funded modernization of the general hospital, the project functionality was delayed due to the lack of some vital machines.

However, the civil society group, ‘Mothers Solidarity for Health’ mobilized funds to operationalize the facility.

“The ICU is in the hospital in the main building that was done by the Chinese. There has been some equipment that was available on the ground, but they were not enough to make it operational,” said Dr. Lupai.

“A group of women called the mothers solidarity for health chaired by Hon Rachael Nyadang and other members in the transitional legislative assembly, lobbied to get funds so that they see that things that are missing are put in the ICU to make it functional. They raised some funds until we reached the stage where we are now”.

In September 2022, the Israeli government opened a brand-new Intensive Care Unit department worth nearly one million US dollars at the Juba Teaching Hospital.

The hospital director says they are also going to operationalize the ICU donated by Israel.