Mission Team Reports Success

A five-member team for Southern Sudan Health Projects (SSHP) feels a sense of success following a mission trip to the Bor area of Southern Sudan. In addition to the Syracuse team members, several of their Sudanese brothers now visiting and working in South Sudan joined them upon their arrival in Bor. Majer Kuon works there with an oil company and Mayol Malak is visiting family as well as building two businesses to benefit his family. Also, the team was joined by Dr. John Kok and David Madir, two other Sudanese Americans who are working in the Bor area.

After meeting with all levels of the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) government officials and with Bor’s leaders, the team selected the village of Malek in which to focus its work for preventive health care and education through training and support for community health workers (CHW). SSHP established collaboration with Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA) World Health, a nonprofit organization that provides health care services and products to people in need around the world. IMA World Health is a faith-based organization (FBO) working primarily in developing nations, where an estimated 30 to 60 percent of health care is provided by FBOs.

Headquartered in New Windsor, Maryland, IMA World Health was established in 1960 by a group of Protestant relief and development agencies to support their international health programs. Incorporated as Interchurch Medical Assistance, the organization’s initial purpose was soliciting equipment, supplies, and medications from US-based companies and distributing them to overseas health ministries.

While that work continues, the organization now includes building and strengthening health care systems in developing regions of the world. In addition to its headquarters in the US, it has field offices in Tanzania, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Kenya.

SSHP’s mission team met with IMA’s Dr. Makina a Nganga of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who currently is the Jongeli state team leader in Bor, Jongeli State, South Sudan. Dr. Makina graciously offered work space to team members who remain in Bor which will create easier communication among the Syracuse UMC, the UMC Bishop of East Africa’s staff, and Sudanese-American team members living and/or visiting in Bor.

According to the IMA’s senior program officer, Charles Franzén, “This is the worst health care situation that exists in the world. The vast majority of people in South Sudan have never had health services of any kind.” Building upon his organization’s success “advancing health and healing” with similar programs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Franzén is now working with South Sudan’s Ministry of Health to launch a $26-million health care program. Funded by the World Bank’s Multi-Donor Trust Fund, the 40-month effort will establish and improve basic health care services in the states of Upper Nile and Jonglei, where populations total approximately two million. This massive effort will draw upon all of IMA’s areas of expertise. Three hospitals and dozens of small clinics are the only health care facilities in these two states and of these, Franzén says, “Churches and nongovernmental organizations have contributed what they can. It is our work now to bring them all together and provide resources for a sustainable health system.” It is through such a system that SSHP plans to continue its work.

SSHP confirms IMA’s assessment through personal stories shared by the Sudanese American members of the organization. For example, Mayol Malak who currently is visiting family in the village of Total brought his brother, Deng, to be examined by Darla Rowley of the UMC’s GBGM. Rowley, a public health officer, confirmed a diagnosis made by Bor Hospital’s Dr. Malek. Deng suffers from brucellosis, a disease passed from cattle to humans. Deng provides for his family by tending the cattle and is now disabled, walks with a stick, and suffers continually all because there were no medications for him. Now his wife and children show signs of the disease.

Another team member, Majer Kuon, who has lived in Bor for two years, works for an oil company as a geologist. When the SSHP team arrived, Majer complained of abdominal pains which were caused by a type of worm. Darla Rowley was able to provide him with medication which he gladly took.

Even as they team traveled home, many team members seemed to have intestinal problems and fevers. Rowley herself suffered from the amoebiasis attack and informed team members regarding how to overcome it. Also, Rowley faced malarial conditions during her time in Sudan. The team knew of the health situations they potentially faced on the trip, but chose to work for the glory of God despite the possibilities.

With the successes built during the SSHP team’s work in Southern Sudan, project members work to build awareness, raise funds, and continue plans for training and educating Community Health Workers. Their work begins in the village of Malek and the organization looks forward to extending its improved health care practices in other villages in and around Bor, South Sudan.