Health officials at the Panyagoor Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) in Twic East County of Jonglei State have complained about a severe shortage in life-saving drugs amid a spike in malaria cases. 

“The last time we received medicines was in August. For over a month now, the facility has been running without drugs because we are cut off by the floods. In a day, we receive hundreds of cases of malaria and pneumonia of which malaria accounts for 80%, especially among the children,” Dr. Chol Leek, the county’s health director, told Radio Tamazuj on Friday.

The official called for an urgent health intervention to avert the dire situation faced by the locals already grappling with the floods.

One resident, Amer Dau, said she only relied on herbs after being diagnosed with malaria because the facility has run out of medicines. She called on the government to supply the health facility with drugs.

For his part, Deng Gak Atem, the Twic East County executive director, decried the dire health situation in the county, blaming it on the floods, which rendered Panyagoor Airstrip inaccessible since October 7.

The county commissioner, however, said they are engaging health partners to avert the situation.