Health

Minister:

Hon Dr. Riek Gai Kok

Through Ministry of Health, the Government of the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) manages the public healthcare system to ensure that good and affordable basic medical services are available to all people in South Sudan. We achieve this through providing subsidized medical services while promoting individual responsibility for the costs of healthcare services. Our population is thus encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle, taking responsibility for one’s own health. Safety nets are provided, however, to ensure that no South Sudanese is denied access into the healthcare system or turned away by public hospitals because of lack of money.

Mission:

To improve the health status of the population and ensure a sector wide quality health care to all the people of South Sudan, especially the most vulnerable, women and children

Functions:

The Ministry of Health performs the following functions and duties:

• To formulate policies and strategies in the field of preventive, curative and societal medicine within the RSS medical policy framework;
• Development and supervision of clinics, dispensaries, health centres, hospitals and other medical institutions and services in South Sudan;
• Registration of doctors and paramedics as well as maintenance and updating of unified lists of physicians, dentists, pharmacists, medical technicians and specialists working in South Sudan;
• Develop and implement a human resources plan for the health sector, and build capacity of health-care staff, including curriculum development for different health-care workers;
• Provision of maternity services;
• Develop the capacity of the Ministry of Health to deliver Health education and promotion;
• Training of nurses and mid-wives including the management and supervision of medical training colleges and institutes;
• Plan and implement medical programmes and projects in South Sudan in accordance to RSS policies and strategies;
• Supervision and control of use of medicines, drugs, poisons, and anasthetic substances;
• Establish quality control and assurance mechanisms for drugs and medical consumables;
• Control of epidemics;
• Quantifying and provision of medical needs (medicines, equipment, medical materials and supplies) of South Sudan;
• Develop a national health and diseases policy, strategies and plans;
• Support and supervise a decentralized and delegated system of health provision;
• Oversee human resources capacity development throughout the health sector;
• Set priorities, standards, regulations, and guidelines for the operation of health provision at all levels of government;
• Develop and operate a health information system;
• Coordinate an effective HIV/AIDS programme;
• Instigate and coordinate an effective family planning strategy and services;
• Instigate and coordinate an effective health education strategy;
• Supervise health inspection services, including food and other public health hazards; and
• Advise and support States and local governments in their responsibilities for health and build their capacity to assume all functions vested by the Constitution and RSS policy.

Structure:

The ministry is composed of the following directorates:

• Directorate of Administration and Finance
• Directorate of Primary Health Care
• Directorate of Preventive Medicine
• Directorate of Health Services (Curative)
• Directorate of Human Resource Development
• Directorate of Planning, and Monitoring and Evaluation
• Medical Commission
• Directorate HIV/AIDS
• Directorate Nurse and Midwifery
• Directorate Nutrition
• Directorate of Pharmaceutical
• Directorate of External Coordination and Assistance

Projects and Programs:

The ministry runs several projects aimed at helping it achieve its objectives of:

• Strengthen health systems and services to provide effective and equitable health care that is accessible, acceptable, affordable, sustainable, and cost effective;
• Scale up communicable and non-communicable disease prevention and control programmes, while recognizing unprecedented challenge caused by HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria;
• Mobilize and effectively use adequate sustainable resources to strengthen the health system;
• Develop effective partnerships with local communities and relevant institutions nationally, regionally and internationally;
• Strengthen and scale up programmes to reduce the burden of conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Publications and Documents:

• Sudan Household Health Survey (Southern Sudan Report) 2006
• Health Policy Government of Southern Sudan 2007-2011
• Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and Operational Plan
• Southern Sudan Essential Medicine List
• Southern Sudan Integrated Surveillance and Response Assessment Report
• Guidelines for the Donation of Medicines, Medical Supplies and Equipment for Southern Sudan
• Southern Sudan Pharmacy Protocol
• Prevention and Treatment Guidelines for Primary Health Care Units
• Southern Sudan Malaria Control Strategic Plan
• Prevention and Treatment Guidelines for Primary Health Care Centres and Hospitals

Contacts:

Undersecretary
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