By: Ginaba Lino
South Sudan is spending approximately $2 million every year to rent commercial warehouses for medical commodities, a cost the Ministry of Health says should instead be redirected toward building permanent, government-owned infrastructure.
The call came as the Ministry officially received a new Dry Medical Commodity Store, marking a major step toward strengthening the country’s capacity to store and manage essential medicines and medical supplies.
The new facility is expected to significantly increase national storage capacity, improve the management of medical commodities and protect essential supplies from stock-outs, helping ensure medicines are available to communities across South Sudan.
Speaking during the handover, Ministry of Health Undersecretary Dr. Oromo Francis Seriano described the facility as an important investment in strengthening the country’s health supply system.
He expressed appreciation to the Global Fund for financing the project and to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for leading its construction, while also commending the contractors and technical teams for their work in making the facility a reality.
Dr. Oromo, however, stressed that South Sudan must go beyond individual projects and invest in permanent national assets that can reduce long-term operational costs.
He called on UNICEF to reconsider spending approximately $2 million annually on commercial warehouse rentals and instead invest the money in constructing permanent storage facilities owned by the government.
The Undersecretary said shifting resources from recurrent rental costs to infrastructure development would help strengthen national ownership and reduce dependence on rented facilities.
“Building national assets over paying rent is key to long-term self-reliance,” Dr. Oromo said.
The newly handed-over facility therefore represents not only an expansion of South Sudan’s medical storage capacity, but also a move toward building a more sustainable health supply system.
Officials say stronger storage infrastructure will help protect essential medicines, improve supply management and ensure critical health commodities reach health facilities and communities when they are needed most.