Northern Bahr el Ghazal medics threaten strike over $306,000 unpaid incentives

JUBA – Health workers in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have threatened to down their tools starting December 1 if the state government fails to address months of unpaid incentives totalling $306,000, along with delayed salaries and chronic shortages of medical supplies.

In a letter seen by Sudans Post and reportedly signed by 14 staff members, the medics accuse the state government of abandoning its obligations to frontline workers. They cite 18 months of unpaid state incentives, valued at $17,000 per month, alongside delayed UNICEF incentives and persistent shortages that have crippled essential services at Aweil State Hospital.

“We are hereby notifying your esteemed office that despite a meeting held on 6 October 2025 with the State Minister of Health, the Acting Director General, and the Medical Director of Aweil State Hospital, no official response or practical solutions have been provided regarding the challenges affecting the hospital,” the letter reads in part.

The staff say the lack of medical supplies has forced interruptions in several essential services and eroded morale among workers who continue to serve without timely pay or motivation.

However, a source inside the state Ministry of Health—who requested anonymity—questioned the authenticity of the letter.

“It is true that they wrote the letter, but they forged some department heads’ signatures without their knowledge,” the insider claimed. “Their concerns about delayed remuneration are genuine, and both the Minister of Health and the Governor have pledged to meet them and address the issues before December 1.”

A near-identical situation emerged recently in neighbouring Warrap State, where health workers at Kuajok Hospital also threatened to strike over similar concerns. James Ngor, the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Manager in Warrap, confirmed the incident.

“It is true the Kuajok Hospital health workers threatened to lay down their tools, but the state government met with them, and they agreed to resume work,” Ngor said, adding that staff were assured UNICEF would be consulted regarding delayed incentives. He noted that shortages of medicines were acknowledged as a legitimate concern and that authorities promised to work with partners and the national government to ensure timely supply.

As tensions rise in both states, it remains uncertain whether the threats of industrial action will prompt urgent reforms—or plunge the already strained health sector into deeper crisis.