Caritas Equips COVID-19 Frontline Health staff in State of South Sudan

Magwi – Caritas Luxemburg, Catholic Church’s charitable wing, operating in South Sudan, has donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to health facilities in Eastern Equatoria State.

Radio Emmanuel, one of the catholic Radio network stations based Torit, reports that the beneficiaries of PPE, are Nimule, Magwi and Kapoeta health facilities.

The materials include gumboots, masks, plastic glasses and water resistant plastic aprons and other WASH equipment to the health workers to protect them from getting infected with the virus as they attend to patients.

Emergency Program Officer, Asmath Nyakiba says, the distribution targets the frontline staff.

“Caritas Luxembourg supports three hospitals and for the three hospitals, we have provided PPE for all staff. Our is staff who are working within the hospitals. Before we give out the PPE, the staff is trained on infection prevention control (IPC) then, that’s when we secured and delivered PPE to the hospital last week”, Mr. Nyakiba says.

He adds that the safety of health personnel is their priority so that they are able to deliver good services to the community. 

The in charge, Magwi health facility, Logoro Darius confirms that his facility received the equipment.

He appreciates efforts of health partners in supporting workers in the various facilities.

“We know health workers are not protected. First protect yourself, your family and the community. I think when health workers are protected they will carry their duties with confidence. Some of them were worried of lack of face masks because some patients have respiratory problems and it became difficult to go closer to the patient but it is going to encourage them to do their activities and willing to work daily since they now have the mask and will keep the social distance”, he notes.

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According to Logoro, with the support from partners, health personnel will be able to accomplish their duties without difficulties.

South Sudan registered it’s first confirmed cases of COVID-19, on April 5 and by June 23 there were 1,942 confirmed cases with 36 deaths due to the pandemic in the country.