Map showing Ruweng Administrative Area. | Courtesy.

Health authorities in the oil-rich Ruweng Administrative Area are treating a more than two-week-old infant born with a deformity at Panriang Referral Hospital.

Simon Chol Mialith, the area Minister of Health and Environment says the unnamed baby was born with intestines and other abdominal organs outside.

Minister Simon Chol said the incident is similar to last year’s of a child who died weeks after being born with the defect.

“In 2023, we had a case of a child born with the intestine outside. We struggled together as the Ministry of Health, GPOC, and the Ministry of Petroleum but unfortunately, that child died.

“Of recent 2024, we also had the same thing of a child born with intestines outside. As we speak, he is in the hospital.

In June last year, a baby boy born with a similar situation reportedly died while waiting for a referral to Nairobi for advanced medical care.

According to Minister Chol, the cases of children being born with deformities have become recurrent in the area.

He also said there have been cases of birds, fish, and other creatures dying due to what he believes is caused by the environmental pollution in the area.   

“I think given the deliveries that are happening in our hospitals, especially at Panriang Referral Hospital, you can see a child born without anus, or legs.

“You find birds dying alone and fish dying in the water. So, we are generally saying that there are a lot of environmentally polluted related diseases because systemic speaking, the oil exploration is poorly managed.”

Minister Simon Chol however recommends the need to conduct environmental audits and provide safe drinking water to the local population.