Work resumes at Bor Hospital, strike called off

Staff at the main referral hospital in South Sudan's Jonglei State, Bor Hospital resumed work after a one-day strike over unpaid incentives was called off on Friday.

Dr. Ajak Garang, one medical doctor who was on strike, told Radio Tamazuj: "The strike was called off on Friday evening after the state government intervention. We met the state governor and he promised that he will engage the (health) partners. Our problem is that we are not paid incentives for two months." 

On Thursday last week, all the workers at Bor State Hospital, including doctors, nurses, and cleaners, downed tools after a 72-hours ultimatum for their incentives to be paid elapsed. 

John Anyieth Malaak, a nurse, said while the work resumed Friday, they will be forced to down tools again if their demands are not met by September 15.  

“As we speak, the work is ongoing normally at the hospital because we want to give them time to respond. As a nurse, I receive $350. Some receive $45 like the cleaners. It varies,” he said. 

For his part, Dr. Bol Chaw Manyang, the hospital’s medical director, said that health partners are being engaged so that the two-month incentives are paid by mid-November.