Expectant mothers give birth outside Jonglei Hospital as strike deepens

BOR – Expectant mothers are being forced to give birth outside Jonglei State Hospital as a mounting health workers’ strike enters its second week, crippling services and exposing the public to life-threatening risks.

The shutdown has also resulted in at least two preventable patient deaths, according to civil society monitors.

The strike began on 5 November after the Ministry of Health abruptly transferred more than 20 nurses, clinical officers, and midwives to various county health facilities.

The decision triggered widespread anger among staff, who accused authorities of making unilateral changes without adequate consultation. In response, the workers withdrew their services, shutting down the state’s only referral hospital.

With the facility non-operational, the consequences have been devastating. Intrepid South Sudan (ISS), a civil society organisation based in Bor, confirms that a male and a female patient have died since the strike began because no medical personnel were available to attend to them.

Even more alarming, expectant mothers have been forced to deliver outside the hospital gates. ISS reports that at least four pregnant women have given birth in the open, without skilled assistance, sterile tools, or emergency support—conditions described as unsafe, undignified, and potentially fatal.

One of the women went into labour upon arrival at the locked facility and delivered on the ground as relatives and bystanders tried to assist. ISS warns that such incidents are likely underreported, given the silence and fear that often accompany maternal emergencies.

Bol Deng Bol, Executive Director of ISS and Chairperson of the Jonglei Civil Society Network, expressed deep concern over what he termed a fast-escalating humanitarian emergency.

“We offer our kind and sincere condolences to the families of the victims,” he said, urging both the hospital administration and the striking staff to immediately resume dialogue and restore essential services before more lives are lost.

Bol noted that Jonglei State Hospital houses specialised services not available elsewhere in the state, making its closure exceptionally dangerous for thousands who rely on it for urgent care.

While acknowledging that industrial action is constitutionally protected, he stressed that such disputes must be handled responsibly, with public safety at the forefront.

ISS says it will continue monitoring the crisis and stands in “unreserved solidarity” with communities struggling under the weight of the prolonged health system shutdown.