Expectant mothers at a health facility in Mingkaman Payam (Photo: Michael Daniel/Eye Media).

Health authorities at Mingakaman Internally Displaced Persons camp in Awerial County of Lake State said insufficient beds at the facility has forced them to admit patients on the floor.

Andrew Kuol Wai, a clinical officer said there are only 10 beds in the admission ward, while the number of inpatients – mostly expectant mothers, are above capacity.

“The admission is more than twenty per day, in which our capacity of the ward is less than the number of daily admissions. Our beds are only ten but due to lack of the beds, we do admit patients on the floor,” said Kuol.

According to him, the health facility receives an average number of 70 to 80 patients per day.

He also said they often admit 20 patients – a double the required number of inpatients, hence some have no choice but to be nursed on the ground.

The hospital for the displaced, also provides reproductive health care to women aged between 15-49 years.

He however said they are faced with other challenges such as medicine shortages and equipment, and refer critical cases to Bor Hospital – a situation complicated by lack of river transport means.

“Sometimes we do run out of drugs and cases of diseases are high, especially Malaria. This is its season. We also lack laboratory apparatus such as a microscope,” he said.

Speaking to Eye Radio from Mingkaman, Kuol adds: “We do hire commercial clinicians. We also have difficulties in referral due to transportation barriers.”

Mingakaman camp is home to more than 200,000 Internal Displaced Persons, forced out of their homes by flooding in Jonglei State.

Some of the civilians were also displaced by the 2013 civil war.