High-Level Inspection Visit
Health Minister Sarah Cleto Rial travelled to Northern Bahr el Ghazal this week to examine the newly inaugurated Madhol Field Hospital, a 100-bed facility financed and built by the United Arab Emirates.
The trip marked the first official assessment mission from Juba since the hospital opened in March 2025, roughly 64 kilometres from the Sudanese border.
Operational Readiness Review
Rial’s team inspected emergency, intensive care, theatre and laboratory units, measuring them against national benchmarks for staffing, equipment and infection control.
She noted a need for a fuller picture of medicine stocks and cold-chain reliability before certifying full service readiness.
Governor’s Collaboration Call
Governor Simon Ober Mawut welcomed the delegation, stressing that no national team had visited since the ribbon-cutting and that communities continue to request stronger primary and referral services.
He pledged state cooperation with the Ministry of Health and partners to consolidate gains and funnel resources where patient demand is rising fastest.
Wider Impact on Populations
Designed to serve about two million South Sudanese and tens of thousands of displaced people and refugees, Madhol Field Hospital offers a strategic buffer against cross-border health pressures from the Sudan conflict.
Emergency and specialised units are expected to cut referral times to Juba, easing travel costs while boosting early intervention outcomes.
Path toward Sustainable Care
Rial indicated that a detailed report will outline staffing gaps, supply-chain tweaks and training opportunities to anchor the facility inside South Sudan’s broader universal health coverage roadmap.
With donor engagement and state oversight aligned, officials hope Madhol can evolve into a teaching site and referral hub for the northern corridor.