Juba teaching hospital connected to dedicated power hotline

2026-03-06 - 09:47

The National Minister of Health, Sarah Cleto Rial, has announced that Juba Teaching Hospital has been connected to an uninterrupted power line under Juba Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (JEDCO), a move aimed at preventing future electricity outages at the country’s main referral hospital. Minister Rial made the announcement on Thursday after inspecting the hospital, following recent power disruptions that affected services at the facility. According to the minister, the connection was the result of engagements between the Ministry of Health and key stakeholders in the energy sector to address the electricity challenges faced by the hospital. “Over this week, we have been engaging with our partners and our colleagues, especially on how to resolve this issue of the power outage in Juba Teaching Hospital,” Rial said. She explained that the Ministry of Health held a meeting earlier this week with officials from the Ministry of Energy and Dams, Juba Electricity Distribution Company Ltd and the South Sudan Electricity Corporation to find a lasting solution. “On Tuesday, we had a lengthy meeting with the minister of energy and dams and also JEDCO and the South Sudan Electricity Corporation. With that meeting, we put a clear request from the ministry,” she said. Rial added that the meeting resolved that the hospital be connected to a dedicated electricity hotline to ensure a stable power supply. “And joining hands together, I want to really announce today that now Juba Teaching Hospital is on a hotline under JEDCO. So, we are not going to be losing power again in the Juba Teaching Hospital,” she said. The hospital recently experienced a power outage that lasted nearly two days due to a fuel shortage in its generator system. The facility relies on a 500 KVA generator that requires about 1,000 litres of fuel daily. Despite the interruption, medical staff continued to provide essential services, at times using their own resources to ensure patients received care. Minister Rial said the Ministry of Health will continue working closely with the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the Ministry of Energy and Dams to ensure timely payments to JEDCO and maintain a reliable electricity supply to government hospitals. She also commended the hospital’s management and staff for their dedication during the recent power outage.