Chinese medics brave insecurity to treat thousands in CES village

LOBONOK – A Chinese medical team has risked danger to provide free healthcare to thousands of vulnerable people in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State, highlighting the dire shortage of medical services in the state.

The team, the eleventh of its kind, traveled to Lobonok payam – a volatile area 38 kilometers from the capital Juba – to offer a two-day medical camp. Hundreds of patients, suffering from malaria, diabetes, rheumatism, and other ailments, sought treatment.

“We spent three hours to come to Lobonok to conduct this medical camp, and we spent two days providing consultations and medical treatment to the people of Lobonok,” said Chen Si, team leader of the 11^th batch of China medical team.

“I believe with this medical camp, we have contributed toward improvement of the health wellbeing of the people of Lobonok,” he added.

Local residents expressed gratitude for the team’s efforts, with many saying they had limited access to healthcare.

Ladu Santos, a resident of neighboring Tombur boma, said he tested positive for malaria but could not find treatment due to a shortage of antimalarial medicines at the local health center.

“I am very happy for the China medical team for visiting our payam, our payam lacks a lot of things most especially the medical equipment,” Santos said.

Christine Laurence Lado, another resident, praised the team for offering free treatment to those in need.

“We came here for the funeral but we found doctors giving free treatment and that is good for the people in this area, old women are sick and they cannot afford treatment, this place needs a hospital because the people are staying far away from Juba,” she said.

The medical team also donated medical equipment, food, and non-food items to Lobonok primary health care center, which is struggling with understaffing and a lack of supplies.

Isaac Loki, the center’s medical director, said the situation has worsened since June due to the closure of a donor-funded health pool.

“We are now six months without medical supplies at the moment, we lack tests even the basic malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are no longer available, and injectable medication like Artemether and metro infusion,” Loki said.

The Chinese medical team’s efforts have been praised by local and national officials. James Wani, Director General of Central Equatoria State, said healthcare is a key priority for the government and thanked the Chinese team for their support.

Mu Jianjun, the Economic and Commercial Affairs Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan, highlighted the longstanding cooperation between the two countries in the health sector.

He said over 60,000 people have received medical treatment from Chinese medical teams in the past 12 years.

The medical team’s visit to Lobonok was organized by the Chinese embassy, the Vice President’s office, the Central Equatoria State Ministry of Health, and local officials.