We Hear Gunshots As Often As We Hear Ringtones from Mobile Phones

“My name is Taban Charles Millinon. I graduated as a clinical officer from the National Health Training Institute in Maridi, South Sudan in 2008 through training received from AMREF. I am from Kajo Keji County. I undertook my one-year internship at Yei Civil Hospital before joining Meltesa International.

I now work with the Norwegian Peoples Aid as a facility supervisor in Juba County. Life in Juba is not good at all. We hear is gunshot as often as we hear phones ringing. We are now used to the gunshots. As a health worker, getting to the health facilities has been very difficult; we have been forced to close some of the health facilities in Juba, and are now operating just a few.

I am particularly concerned about the health of our women and children because they cannot leave their houses to visit the health facilities. I am afraid there might be those who have died due to malaria or complications from pregnancy and childbirth. We are unable to reach our patients because most of the roads are closed.

We also have a generally low turnout at the facilities for patients seeking curative treatment and most of our patients have gunshot wounds. We give these patients First Aid and refer them to Juba Teaching Hospital. The situation is not good and everyone has been affected. We are hoping our leaders will come together and make peace for the sake of our country.”