JUBA – Seven foreign embassies have called on the South Sudanese government to ensure public health workers are paid on time, saying the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region highlights the need for stronger investment in the country’s health sector.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the embassies of Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States said the regional outbreak had reinforced the importance of a well-funded public health system.
“The current outbreak of Ebola in the region highlights the urgent need for South Sudanese public funding of the health sector.”
The embassies said greater government funding should include “prompt and regular payment of salaries for public health workers including those involved in Ebola monitoring, detection, and response efforts.”
The statement comes as South Sudan remains on heightened alert following the Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Health authorities have intensified screening at border entry points, strengthened disease surveillance and prepared isolation and treatment facilities in an effort to prevent the virus from entering the country.
Although South Sudan has not reported an Ebola case linked to the current outbreak, the Ministry of Health has been working with international partners to reinforce preparedness and response measures, particularly in areas bordering the DRC.
“As of today, we have tested 10 suspected cases, and all turned negative. We want to make sure every suspected case we test is negative, but the risk continues to remain high because we are concerned about imported cases,” said Orom Francis, undersecretary in the Ministry of Health, last week.
He added that South Sudan has significantly improved its capacity to respond to Ebola over the past two months through collaboration between the government and health partners.
“So far, South Sudan is doing quite a good job in improving our readiness to respond to any Ebola outbreak. Our preparedness is now at par, and in some areas even better than some neighbouring countries,” he said.
According to the ministry, more than 18,000 travellers entering South Sudan have so far been screened for Ebola, with authorities also monitoring those entering the country to quickly trace anyone who develops symptoms.
The embassies did not announce any new financial support but stressed that domestic investment in healthcare is essential to sustain the country’s ability to detect, monitor and respond to disease outbreaks.
Their appeal also comes amid long-standing concerns over delayed salaries for public health workers, a challenge health experts say can undermine emergency response efforts and the delivery of essential health services.
The statement adds to growing calls for South Sudan to strengthen its health system as the country prepares for the possibility of cross-border public health emergencies.
