Juba (UNA/WAM) - In implementation of the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE inaugurated the Madhol Field Hospital in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State in the Republic of South Sudan, in the presence of a number of ministers and officials from the UAE and South Sudan, and international organizations.
The opening of the hospital - under the supervision of the International Humanitarian Affairs Council - comes within the framework of the UAE's humanitarian mission towards developing the most needy communities, and helping people facing difficulties in obtaining basic life services in the areas where they are located, especially healthcare services as an urgent necessity to receive the appropriate treatment needed by various categories of men, women and children, especially in light of the existing challenges facing many, such as the spread of malaria due to the lack of medical services and the provision of appropriate medicines. Madhull Field Hospital will constitute a qualitative addition to the healthcare sector in the friendly Republic of South Sudan.
In a speech delivered during the hospital’s opening, Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, stressed that the development and humanitarian projects implemented by the UAE constitute an integral part of the country’s commitment to supporting all communities in need, as the UAE implements its humanitarian initiatives in close partnership with various relevant international organizations, and with a focus on global priority projects such as education and healthcare.
“The opening of Madhol Field Hospital is an embodiment of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s legacy of giving and charity, and translates the inspiring vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, for solidarity and brotherhood by addressing health challenges and developing sustainable solutions for many areas that face a severe shortage in access to appropriate healthcare services,” he said.
He added: “The UAE is keen to implement various humanitarian and development projects to build capacities and empower individuals through developing skills. Therefore, today we celebrate with our friends in the Republic of South Sudan the fruits of our distinguished bilateral relations and deep-rooted values, by announcing the opening of Madhol Field Hospital with an initial capacity of 100 beds and several specialized clinics to serve nearly two million people from the host community, South Sudanese returning from Sudan, and Sudanese refugees in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.”
He pointed out that this hospital is the third that the UAE has built to provide medical services to Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries, as it has built two field hospitals in the cities of Amdjarass and Abeche in Chad.
He said: “Since its establishment, humanitarian support and the protection of civilians, especially the sick, children, the elderly and women, have been a major focus of the UAE’s orientations. Its position towards the crisis that Sudan has been going through since April 2023 is clear and firm, as its primary focus has been on addressing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis and adopting an approach that prioritises the demands of civilians and addresses their needs.”
He also touched on the UAE's firm and permanent commitment to supporting efforts to address this catastrophic crisis, and to working collectively with regional and international partners to ensure stability and peace for the brotherly Sudanese people, as an expression of the deeply-rooted values of human solidarity in the UAE, its leadership and people.
“The UAE’s pledge of an additional US$200 million in humanitarian aid during the ‘High-Level Humanitarian Conference for the People of Sudan’ in Addis Ababa – the first conference on Sudan held this year to set the course for future conferences to help the Sudanese people – reflects its unwavering and ongoing commitment to supporting the brotherly Sudanese people. Since the start of the crisis, it has allocated and provided US$600.4 million to support the humanitarian response, bringing its provision of US$3.5 billion in humanitarian aid to the Sudanese people over the past ten years, confirming its unwavering commitment to providing support to those in need during crises,” he added.
For his part, Sultan Mohammed Al Shamsi, Deputy Chairman of the Emirates International Aid Agency, explained that the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries are witnessing new horizons of cooperation in various fields and sectors, and the healthcare sector is an international priority in line with the goals of sustainable development by focusing on good health and well-being through providing medical capabilities such as establishing public hospitals and specialized centers and developing health systems, within the framework of capacity building, developing competencies and addressing future challenges such as the spread of diseases and epidemics. The Madhol Field Hospital will work to provide primary healthcare and basic treatment services to many segments and categories in the Madhol area and nearby areas.
In turn, Dr. Hambhari Karamagi, WHO Representative in South Sudan, said: “We thank the United Arab Emirates for its pioneering international humanitarian efforts in strengthening the health care sector in the African continent through many projects and initiatives, including the establishment of hospitals to meet the needs of millions of people and improve various health services. Today, we witness the opening of Madhull Field Hospital as one of those projects to serve people from different surrounding areas, including refugees.”
For his part, Simon Ober Mawat, Governor of Bahr el Ghazal State in the Republic of South Sudan, said: “Today is the moment we have been waiting for together, and we thank the UAE for establishing the Madhol Field Hospital, which will address the health challenges in our region. Today is a historic day for the people of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and the entire region.”
