 has reassured the community in Bentiu that it will continue providing essential medical services, despite the relocation of its healthcare facilities from the Bentiu camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Bentiu State Hospital (BSH).){kind=link}
By Otto Abut
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has reassured the community in Bentiu that it will continue providing essential medical services, despite the relocation of its healthcare facilities from the Bentiu camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Bentiu State Hospital (BSH).
This clarification comes following recent demonstrations and concerns raised by residents about the transition of MSF’s medical services.
In a statement, James Mutharia, MSF’s project coordinator for the Bentiu hospital transition, explained that while the organization is shifting its service location, it is not leaving Bentiu. Rather, the aim is to strengthen the local healthcare system and ensure long-term sustainability in Unity State.
The transition, which is being carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH), is part of a phased plan to move all primary and secondary healthcare services from the Bentiu IDP camp facility to BSH by the end of 2025. This repositioning aims to not only maintain but enhance healthcare delivery in Unity State, with MSF and MoH working together to provide continued medical care and support to the communities in the region.
MSF recognizes that such transitions can create uncertainty, and the organization values the feedback received from local stakeholders during both the planning and transition phases.
Since the opening of the newly rehabilitated pediatric unit at Bentiu State Hospital on October 31, 2024, which marked the first phase of the transition, MSF and the MoH have treated 605 children at the facility.
The 48-bed unit is now fully operational, offering a wide range of outpatient and inpatient services, including treatment for illnesses such as malaria, pneumonia, and sepsis.