Working To Save Lives in Hard-to-Reach Areas: Meet the Heroines and Heroes of Walgak.

Fron left to right – Duoth, Dr. Nidal, Thomas and Francis, Save the Children’s health workers at Walgak PHCC. Photo: Ezibon Saadalla / Save the Children.

AKOBO WEST (WALGAK), SOUTH SUDAN - The frontline health workers at Walgak Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) are facing different   challenges as they selflessly save lives. Led by Both Duoth, the nutrition facility provides treatment for over 70 malnourished patients each week, some of whom travel from as far as Lankien, a journey that takes five hours. The health facility, on the other hand, is led by Nidal Nadir, a Medical Doctor.

Despite the lack of proper equipment at Walgak PHCC, Save the Children’s health workers are determined to reach every child in need. They carry vaccines, medical equipment and nutrition supplies on their heads and hands, sometimes walking up to four-six hours due to the inaccessible roads.

In 2024, the Walgak health and nutrition sector reached 26,689 (12,368 Males, 14,321 Females) individuals, with 15,496 (7615 Boys – 7881 Girls) being under the age of 5 years.  Save the Children’s humanitarian workers are diligently working in Walgak to save lives at the health and nutrition centers, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.

The dedicated health workers in Walgak are unstoppable and they continue to provide essential primary health care services regardless of the weather conditions or risks involved. They serve a population of over 120,000 people in Walgak and the neighboring Bomas and Counties, offering care for a range of medical issues, including gunshot wounds, snake bites, preventable diseases, Malaria, Typhoid, drug addiction, child delivery services, minor surgeries and operations.

Patients are willing to travel up to five hours to receive treatment and express their gratitude for the quality of services provided.

One mother, Mary Both, expressed her gratitude and admiration for Dr. Nidal and the rest of the doctors at Walgak PHCC, stating, “Dr. Nidal is my hero. I thought I lost my child, but when reached the hospital, Dr. Nidal was the first person to carry and take care of my baby. she pushed her chest and put something in her nose. My child stayed for hours before she started moving her hands and legs. Now we are 3 days here and my child is breastfeeding and breathing well. I love all the doctors, others I don’t know their names. Thank you so much. I don’t have money but they helped my child”, Says Mary Both, mother of a child treated successfully at Walgak PHCC.

Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Walgak PHCC on average receives 2-3 cases of Pneumonia every week, with higher cases reported during the rainy seasons, according to health officials.

“I cannot imagine Walgak without the amazing team in the PHCC. They are very dedicated and happily serving the community, resulting in a high acceptance rate” says Nyakway the Acting Field Manager.

“In spite of the smiles on our faces because of impacting positively in the lives of vulnerable people, we do require additional support from our donors, philanthropists and member offices. Unfortunately, we currently lack Surgery Theatre. As a result, I am compelled to conduct all minor surgeries under a tent. Our facility is overcrowded and sometimes patients have to sleep on the floor due to the shortage of beds. Although they never complain, as nurses and doctors, we believe this is not unacceptable.  That is why we are asking for more beds and the construction of new buildings to house all the patients”, said, Chol Dak, A clinical Officer.   

In Akobo East (Walgak), Save the Children is implementing Multi-sector Life-saving project: Health, Nutrition, Protection, WASH, and MPC for vulnerable, conflict and floods affected people with funding from Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID). The goal of the project is to reduce mortality and morbidity through a multi-sectoral response focused on improving access to basic Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection, and Cash assistance in Akobo East and Akobo West. The project targets 99,053 including 49,725 children (Boys: 23,965 and Girls 25,760).