After days of outage, Juba teaching hospital gets power promise

2026-03-04 - 11:07

The Ministry of Energy and Dams, in collaboration with partners, has pledged to provide sustained electricity supply to Juba Teaching Hospital following days of power outages that disrupted operations at the country’s main referral facility. A joint meeting, held yesterday at the Ministry of Energy and Dams, brought together representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Juba Teaching Hospital Administration, and JEDCO Electricity Company to discuss urgent solutions for the ongoing power disruptions. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Engineer Macham Macham, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Dams, said the government is committed to ensuring reliable electricity at the hospital. He explained, “Minister Agok Makur stressed that hospital electricity is paramount for the country. He instructed us to establish a dedicated hotline for this issue. We also agreed on the payment arrangements.” “Furthermore, it was decided that a follow-up meeting will be held with four key stakeholders: JEDCO, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Health, and the South Sudan Electricity Cooperation (SSEC). In this meeting, we will work together to find how this one will be solved.” Dr. Kennedy Gaaniko Baime, Undersecretary of the National Ministry of Health, highlighted the importance of coordinated action. He said, “The Honorable Minister, together with the Ministers of Health, JEDCO, and SSEC, have agreed. First, they emphasize the importance of publicly confirming and assuring that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure there is a reliable power supply at Juba Teaching Hospital. “Second, they have accepted the request from the Minister of Health to establish a hotline for Juba Teaching Hospital. Additionally, they agree that it is crucial for the government to convene a meeting with the Minister of Health, the Minister of Finance, and representatives to find a permanent solution.” Dr. Gift Gibson, Director General at Juba Teaching Hospital, warned of the life-threatening consequences of the outages. “Whenever there is a power outage, even lasting just five minutes, it can result in loss of lives. We have ICU patients and newborns in nurseries who are vulnerable during such outages. “A power failure during critical moments, like operations, can mean lives are unnecessarily lost. Therefore, I believe the recommendations discussed today, developed by the honorable ministers, will put a permanent and sustainable solution to the issue of power,” he said. The extended blackout has made it extremely difficult for medical staff to care for patients. Social media footage shows doctors and nurses at the country’s largest referral hospital resorting to candles during the ongoing power crisis.