MSF Transfers Healthcare Services to Bentiu State Hospital After a Decade of Support

By Otto Abut

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has officially handed over its healthcare services to Bentiu State Hospital (BSH) after operating a standalone secondary care facility within the Bentiu IDP camp for over a decade. The transition—initiated in July 2024 and finalized in June 2025—was conducted in partnership with South Sudan’s Ministry of Health (MoH).

“This transition lays a strong foundation for sustainable healthcare,” said Emmanuel Omale, MSF Project Coordinator in Bentiu. “More healthcare workers are being trained, more patients can access services at the government facility, and there’s a stronger framework for care continuity beyond MSF’s presence.”

All vital services—maternal care, pediatrics, surgery, inpatient treatment, HIV/TB care, mental health support, and emergency response—are now fully operated at BSH, benefiting both IDP and host communities in Unity State. Since the transition, MSF supported 21,698 consultations, including 4,036 emergency cases, 397 deliveries, and 981 surgeries, and responded to a cholera outbreak affecting nearly 4,800 people.

BSH Medical Director Simon Puot praised the collaboration:

“With the right medicines, equipment, and staff, lives are saved. Our partnership with MSF ensures people in Unity State receive the quality care they deserve.”

Despite these gains, MSF cautions that worsening Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) conditions in the IDP camp, coupled with diminishing humanitarian funding, jeopardize progress. It calls on humanitarian and development partners to help strengthen health and WASH systems.

“The ultimate goal is to establish a resilient, locally led health system capable of meeting both emergency needs and everyday demands.”