How not to woe doctors . . .

The new minister of health for the government of South Sudan is a man with a mission. After inheriting the ministry he set about making changes and getting things moving again in the South. For instance, GOSS has taken over the running of the three major hospitals in Juba, Wau and malakal from the states. Big move, but we wait whether they can mange them well.

A bigger move is to woe the Southern doctors in Khartoum. To that end the good minister had a meeting with them in the Friendship Hall in Khartoum on Friday 11th October. The meeting went well, I heard, but what is the outcome? How will you convince them to come back home?

It seems a lot is at stake apart from the problems common to all. How do you care for the medics, provide for their work, doctors mess, especially female messes are no-existant in the whole of South Sudan. The inra-structure is unavailable. The minister wants all to come bck and start rebuilding from scratch together. Will they take his call?

The best part is that reference to the Khartoumers as Jallaba has been talked about.

But the truth is there are elements in the ministry who doesn’t want others to join them in the South, by frustrating efforts to return. Some doctors have waited for jobs in Juba for months before abandoning the effort to return to Khartoum.

 Am I wrong in avoiding all these by going private?

Queen of Sheba 2

And then it happened . . . Yes that was where I was with that story.

As I mentioned earllier, that Queen of Sheba is one hell of a place. With the smell of Njera mingling with the aroma of burning goat meat, it was all set for a dramatic event about to happen.

A tall slim chick stepped into the place. She was all African beauty piled into one person. God was so generous to have given her all these qualities! However her face did not register the fun the place was set to see. You can tell she was out on a payback trip. She surveyed the place with her eyes, scanning the tables in one round sweep and settled on a group sitting in the far corner. Man you could tell fron her face tha radiated hatred in that semi-dark palour that a great event was about to be witnessed by men!

True, she walked over to the group, gripped a lady by the shoulder and pulled her out the way. She focused on her man and looked him straight in the face. Well, not a word was spoken, as he stood up slowly and left the table. She followed him outside.

Uhmm, a cheating husband caught in the act! Well, we were denied the drama by his cool act, but what the hell. Nothing bad happend! Sigh. I disappointed you.

It is one hell of a thing that is happening in the town. Where there is money, what men do best with it is is marry another wife! It is an unnecessary side effect of wealth, unfortunately. An unhealthy one too!

By being a frequent user of such places and picking on ladies of the night, there are also underlying bad sides. For one thing, AIDS is a real thing. I will leave that for next time! I seem to have lots of them these days, don’t I?

Good bye, Mr. Minister

Last weekend, I closed my clinic early, for lack of patients and since I had enough time to kill, I thought I should go for “cold one”, just for the road. I don’t like those young people who are killing themselves drinking (that is a topic for another day, anyway). I went to Bros, which is much nearer my clinic in Konyokonyo. Before the bar ladies came around, my jolly old colleagues came in, laughing and talking loudly.

And to my surprised, one of them ordered free drinks for everyone. Being the old guy in the company of young doctors, I wanted to know the cause of their celebrations. Has someone decided to get married? One of them laughed, and said I maybe the only who didn’t know what happened. He said people in Juba are giving a sigh of relief, for something long over due: the removal of the GOSS Minister of Health!

He said this guy has never delivered a thing, apart from chain smoking and drinking himself to death. To make it worse the ministry has been riddled with scandals and schemings that line the pockets of those concern.

For example, being the capital of South Sudan, Juba Teaching Hospital should be first grade. But alas, it remains in shambles, despite the face lifts and paintings it is getting these days. The out patient is too small and run by paramedics, instead of doctors. If not for the Red Cross, the hospital would have run down long ago.

And the Minister is sleeping, he continued. He entered into dubious deals with the Normeca group to build hospitals at costs that can make your head spin. The hospitals are also prefab buildings, not permanent, for God’s sake.

You see, my friend seems greatly relieved that it has at last happened. And what of the new guy in his place?  Well, he said the new guy seems to be tough, for he had gotten things moving from day one. Phew!

I guess if all goes well, I may go back to work in the ministry. Otherwise, the clinic in Konyokonyo will still receive patients. I will have a glass of juice for that instead. Good bye, Mr. Minister.

The toilet at Juba Airport is unhygienic

Have you ever entered  a toilet and wished you had gone to the bush around the corner? Phew! I am not advocating that (as my previous post stated) but the state of our toilets leave a lot to be desired.

In most countries and in peoples’ homes, the toilet is the most private place for quiet thinking as you answer nature’s call. I have seen houses where they keep stacks of magazines and newspapers on the side for you to read. Splendid.

Unfortunately, in South Sudan, say we lack a lot. First we squad in what is called the pit latrine or the VIP – ventilated improved pit latrines. Secondly, we lack running water to use the modern flush ones. Unfortunately for us, we construct the modern ones and don’t care for it after that.

Have you passed through Juba International Airport and used the toilet at the waiting lounge? That is a shame, I tell you. With Juba Airport now the hub of South Sudan, receiving international direct flights from Dubai, Addis Ababa and Nairobi, and hundreds of international people passing through it, the state of the toilet is wanting. (Maybe the VIP section has better facilities).

Sitting in the airport the other day, Dr. K. K. answered nature’s call and found the shocking state of the airport’s toilet. It is the flush modern, seat toilet but you couldn’t recognize that. It is dirty, smelly and the seat is even off. Urine all over the floor. The worse thing is that the toilet is part of the lounge and its top is off, with the pungent smell of urine and what-have-you filling the waiting area. At least, they should keep it clean, employ someone to do it.

They say you know the man by the state of his toilet. Does that tell us anything about the state of our country? You reach your own diagnosis.