By Hou Akot Hou
The Northern Bahr El Ghazal State’s Council of Ministers, chaired by Governor Charles Madut Akol, on Monday tabled a funding budget aimed at supporting efforts to improve health care services and human resource capacity building in the state.
According to the governor’s Facebook page, the project will include the training of 66 personnel and will be implemented with support from international partners and donors, including the Al-Ahly Sporting Club of Egypt, the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, the Qatar Charity Association, and the African Development Bank.
The council said the initiative is expected to contribute to strengthening institutional capacity and improving the delivery of essential services to the people of Northern Bahr El Ghazal state.
Governor Madut welcomed the initiative and emphasised the need to coordinate with the partners.
“It is an essential contribution that the Ministry of Health has received; the USD 18 million project is big,” he said. “I count on the health minister to double his effort and his entire health team to see to it that all is implemented as planned to help our people in the state,” Governor Madut added.
He said the project will include the training of 66 personnel and will target those who are having competency in the health sector so that they can deliver at the end of the training.
The approved pilot project forms part of the state government’s broader efforts to improve service delivery and build a stronger and more capable workforce.
The statement said the funds were mobilised following Health Minister Jaafer Riiny Riiny Lual’s encounters with the international partners.
Northern Bahr El Ghazal State is one of the states facing health hazards such as a lack of enough health facilities in the rural areas, a demand most of the rural settings have been calling for, and undertones of services extended to their residences in the far–flung areas.
It remains uncertain whether such projects will be done as planned, despite the promises of a similar kind being made in the past, and some end up with little or no tangible outcome for the local people.