Juba Teaching Hospital is the main public health facility in South Sudan. It is reported to have inadequate power supply and lacks doctors and nurses after many quit due to little pay and poor working conditions | Credit | File photo

Five children have died from malnutrition this week in Alsabah hospital, Central Equatoria State.

The State Health Authority says the amount of malnourished children being presented at Alsabah hospital is increasing.

“Parents need to bring children to the hospital as soon as they notice problems,” Health Minister Dr. Emmanuel Ija told Eye Radio.

“The most important thing is really to improve the situation of mothers and the families because sometimes you find that both a child and the mother are malnourished,” he added.

Doctor Baya also said that low salaries are a factor contributing to malnutrition in the state.

According to the World Health Organization, a malnourished person has difficulty with appropriate growth rates and resisting disease.

This is the second time children are dying of malnutrition at the hospital.

In 2012, three children died at the first week of the February due to malnutrition.