YAMBIO – Health facilities across Mundri East County in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State are facing a severe shortage of essential medicines after last year’s rebel attacks and ongoing insecurity disrupted supply routes and damaged public infrastructure, leaving thousands of residents without access to basic healthcare services.
Clinics and primary health centres that once treated common illnesses such as malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrhoeal diseases are now struggling to operate with little or no stock of life-saving drugs.
Health workers warn that the situation is rapidly deteriorating, especially for children, pregnant women, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who depend entirely on public facilities.
Speaking to Sudan’s Post, resident Bilal Alex said several health centres have run critically low on essential medicines, forcing patients to return home untreated or seek help far from their communities.
“People go to the facilities and come back without any medicine,” Alex said. “Even simple illnesses are becoming dangerous because there is nothing available. Families don’t have the money to travel elsewhere.”
A health official in Mundri East, who requested anonymity, described conditions at Primary Health Care Centres (PHCCs) and Primary Health Care Units (PHCUs) as alarming. According to the official, the lack of drugs has severely limited the ability of staff to provide even the most basic care.
“People are suffering a lot. There are no medicines in the health facilities, and some families are surviving on wild fruits,” the official said. “We need urgent support from the government and humanitarian partners.”
Local authorities say the shortages are directly linked to insecurity caused by rebel activity in the area. Attacks on villages and public facilities last year forced many health workers to flee and disrupted supply chains, while some clinics were looted or damaged during the violence.
County Commissioner Charles Koro confirmed that the humanitarian situation remains dire, particularly for families displaced from their homes. He said communities in Lakamadi, Doso, Bodi, Minga, and nearby areas were among the worst affected during the attacks.
“Health facilities are empty, and many houses were burnt during the rebel attack. IDPs are suffering without medication,” Koro said. “We are appealing to partners who can assist with medicines and other humanitarian support.”
Koro added that poor road access and lingering insecurity have made it difficult for aid agencies to deliver supplies consistently, compounding the crisis. He warned that without urgent intervention, preventable diseases could claim more lives.
“The lack of medicines is worsening the suffering of people already affected by last year’s attacks,” he said. “We call on all partners to act swiftly to restock our health facilities and help our communities recover.”
Health workers echoed the call, stressing that immediate action is needed to avoid a wider public health emergency. As residents continue to rebuild their lives after months of conflict, the collapse of basic healthcare services has emerged as one of the county’s most pressing challenges.
The Ministry of Health has not yet responded publicly to the concerns raised by residents and local leaders.
