By Lodu William Odiya
The World Health Organisation (WHO) South Sudan has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the country in strengthening its health system and improving access to quality health services.
According to its official page, WHO committed during the official welcoming ceremony for Dr. John Gai Yoh, the newly appointed Caretaker Minister of Health.
The organisation was represented at the ceremony by Dr. Mutale Senkwe, Cluster Lead for Health Programmes, who congratulated Dr. Gai on his appointment and expressed WHO’s readiness to continue working with the Ministry of Health.
“Dr. Senkwe congratulated the minister on his appointment and reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to strengthening South Sudan’s health system and ensuring quality health services reach communities across the country,” a statement partly read.
The organisation said continued collaboration with the Ministry of Health remains important in addressing the country’s health needs and improving the delivery of essential services to communities.
Dr. Gai takes over the health portfolio at a time when South Sudan continues to face challenges in providing adequate healthcare services, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach areas.
The health sector relies on cooperation between government institutions, development partners, humanitarian organisations and international agencies to respond to public health needs and strengthen health infrastructure and services.
WHO has continued to provide technical support to South Sudan in areas including disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness and response, health systems strengthening, and access to essential health services.
The welcoming ceremony provided an opportunity for health partners to congratulate the new caretaker minister and reaffirm their willingness to work with the ministry during his tenure.
The commitment from WHO comes as the Ministry of Health works to improve healthcare delivery and ensure that communities across the country have greater access to essential health services.
The new caretaker minister is expected to work with health partners and other stakeholders to address existing challenges and advance national health priorities.
WHO said it remains committed to supporting South Sudan’s efforts to build a stronger and more resilient health system capable of responding to the needs of its population.