Ghanian Peacekeepers donate medical supplies to Bentiu hospital
Channel: UNMISS VIDEOS
Date: 2017-10-30

Ghanaian peacekeepers donate medical supplies to Bentiu hospital

Cries of babies echoing in the hospital waiting room. 

Mums waiting patiently with their little ones. 

Years of fighting has left widespread devastation in the world’s youngest nation, making it difficult to access basic healthcare. 

Lack of resources makes it difficult for this state-run hospital in Bentiu, in northern South Sudan, to cope with the influx of patients.  Here, they treat about 400 people – many women and children – every day. 

The United Nations Ghanaian peacekeeping battalion has donated essential medical equipment and supplies to help the hospital continue providing medical care to the vulnerable local community.  

SOUNDBITE: KWESI PEPRAH, DEPUTY COMMANDING OFFICER, GHANBATT 
“We try to reach out to the local community to find out where they have problems and where they have difficulties so that we factor them in when planning for our outreach programmes.” 

Curable diseases like malaria can become life-threatening if not treated. 

Malaria test kits and other items donated by the UN peacekeepers will indeed help save lives. Those who run the hospital welcome that support.

Soundbite: BENTIU STATE HOSPITAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: 
1045 Today is not the first time. They came on World Peace Day, they cleaned the hospital, they helped us with the closing of the fence of the hospital, now this is the second time they come to equip our laboratory with the equipment they have bought.

As well as helping patients, the Ghanaian troops also hope to help rehabilitate the hospital building. To do this, they face the challenge of transporting building materials from the capital Juba along roads severely damaged by war and weather. 

But that is a challenge the peacekeepers are confident they’ll overcome for the sake of the people of Bentiu.