South Sudan COVID-19 testing stalls as doctors down tools

JUBA  – South Sudan COVID-19 testing has stalled after doctors fighting the novel coronavirus have gone on strike for reportedly not having been paid for more than four month.

The staff have not been paid for more than four months despite the government pledging more than $5 million USD and handing over $3 million USD to the disbanded High Level Taskforce on COVID-19 Pandemic.

Also South Sudan COVID-19 testing staff are protesting appalling work conditions where they risk their lives daily with inadequate PPEs and sometimes non-compliant subjects.

The Public Health Laboratory (PHL) is still operating analysing previously collected samples.

Minister of Information Michael Makuei told VOA yesterday PHL was supposed to test his contacts for COVID-19 including his family members but they have not shown up yet. He did not say why.

The NC contributed to this story!