JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) —The Chairperson of the South Sudan Doctors’ Union is urging the Ministry of Justice to assign a public prosecutor to assist medical institutions with legal cases involving healthcare workers.

Dr. Zacharia Peter Ajak’s appeal comes after ten medical professionals—including doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, dentists, and laboratory staff—have been imprisoned since April over alleged medical errors.

He said most of the arrested are from private facilities, with one from a government hospital.

The union leader said the arrests were carried out without trial and warned that such actions could discourage medical professionals from remaining in the country.

He emphasized that medical personnel should not be jailed, as their role is critical in providing healthcare.

Speaking on Eye Radio’s “Dawn Show,” Dr. Ajak called for a more effective and stronger Medical Council and appealed for legal support from the government.

“We urge the Ministry of Justice to support us. We need a public prosecutor to work closely with the Doctors’ Union to help us in such cases,” he said.

“If a doctor or medical worker is facing a problem, the legal person should stand by us, and after investigation, they should be released instead of jailed, because they are needed all the time. Doctors should not be arrested or put in prison.”