Medical Center for Returning South Sudanese

IMA World Health and the State Ministry of Health in South Sudan worked together to build the Bayok Treatment center in Renk County, Upper Nile State to care for those returning to South Sudan after it officially became an independent country on July 9th, 2011.

IMA World Health/Staff

When the Republic of South Sudan became an independent country July 9th, displaced South Sudanese citizens living in the North began migrating back home. IMA World Health, which has been working in South Sudan since 2008, was there to welcome them.

Renk County, in the Upper Nile State where IMA works, quickly became one of the most traveled routes for the influx of returnees to the south. Three temporary camps—Bayok, Minia and Agany—were established to handle this transitional population.

Teams with members from IMA and the State Ministry of Health were immediately deployed to Renk to assess the health needs. These teams recommended establishing a temporary medical center in Bayok to fulfill two objectives:

1. Provide temporary basic health care services to those living in Bayok (the most heavily populated camp)
2. Prevent, control and treat any outbreaks and communicable diseases

Services would be available for a maximum of three months, after which travelers would be required to move on.

In less than 15 days, this treatment center was renovated and open to treat patients. When the team began renovations, the building had no windows, doors or internal walls.

Not long after, a second team arrived in Renk to implement the first team’s recommendations, opening the medical center in an existing building that had no doors, windows or internal partitions. The team quickly developed an action plan, updated the building and recruited a medical staff, all while supplies and equipment arrived. When the center officially opened to patients; 78 people were cared for on the first day.

This entire process of assessment and the establishment of the center spanned just 15 days.

While physical wounds healed, a spiritual healing developed. Returnees gathered to pray and perform traditional dances around the medical center as an expression of happiness.

IMA led the recruitment of medical staff, the health center renovation and the complicated transportation of medical supplies. Services provided included care for malnourished children, wound care, distribution of mosquito nets, preventative treatment of malaria for pregnant women, vaccinations and much more—all free of charge.