Lives at risk as Duk County faces critical shortage of essential medicines

BOR – The County Health Director of Duk County in South Sudan’s Jonglei State has raised serious concerns over a growing shortage of essential medicines in local health facilities, warning that the crisis is endangering lives, particularly among children and pregnant women.

Speaking to Sudan’s Post by phone, County Health Director Mabior Dau Makur said the health sector is struggling to provide basic medical services due to a lack of funding in the county’s eight main health facilities.

“Most of our primary health care centers have run out of essential medicines such as antimalarials, antibiotics, and pain relievers,” Dau said.

He explained that eight health facilities previously supported by the John Dau Foundation are now unsupported after the organization stopped funding them. “We currently provide only mobile support to these facilities,” he added.

The shortage, which began earlier this year, has already affected several payams, including Pagak, Mareng, and Kadiang, where malaria cases are rising. “We try to mobilize medicines from facilities that still have supplies to support vulnerable communities in the affected payams,” Dau said.

The health director attributed the crisis in part to cuts in funding by former U.S. President Donald Trump, which affected several aid organizations. He called on the State Ministry of Health and partners such as UNICEF and WHO to step in and restock health facilities before the situation worsens.

Local residents have voiced frustration over the ongoing shortages. Majook Peter Nyuon said, “Padiet PHCC is the only healthcare center providing basic services for the populations of Padiet and Dongchak payams. This facility has now gone unsupported for the second time in two years after USAID funding was cut.”

He added, “Most facilities in Duk County have faced repeated funding interruptions over the past three years, severely affecting local communities. Even with efforts by CHD officials to mobilize medicines from other functional facilities, the supplies remain inadequate.”

Nyuon appealed to the national and state governments, as well as international partners, to urgently support affected populations. “We strongly believe the Ministry of Health, the Government of Jonglei State, and UNICEF can intervene swiftly to save the lives of children and women in Duk Padiet and surrounding communities,” he said.

Duk County, one of the hardest-hit areas in Jonglei State, continues to struggle with flooding, poor infrastructure, and limited healthcare access, leaving thousands dependent on humanitarian support for survival.