Ministry of Health Inaugurates ITERU Medical Centre in Juba

Juba, 18th December 2024 - Ministry of Health Inaugurates ITERU Medical Centre in Juba

The National Ministry of Health has officially inaugurated the ITERU Medical Centre, marking a significant advancement in healthcare services in South Sudan. The launch event of this private health facility was attended by Honorable Dr. Harriet Pasquale Akello, the Undersecretary of the National Ministry of Health.

Founded in February 2022 by Mrs. Aker Deng, a survivor of Guillain-Barré Syndrome—a form of peripheral polyneuritis characterized by pain, weakness, and sometimes paralysis of the limbs, with an unknown cause—the ITERU Medical Centre aims to alleviate human suffering and improve healthcare accessibility in the country.

The Centre will focus on diagnosing and treating congenital and other childhood illnesses that affect developmental milestones, addressing a critical gap in pediatric healthcare services in South Sudan.

During her address at the launch, Dr. Harriet Pasquale underscored the critical importance of private sector involvement in healthcare. She noted that the government’s health budget allocation is a mere 1.3%, primarily due to competing national priorities.

Dr. Harriet called for stronger partnerships with private entities to enhance health services and work towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). She emphasized the necessity for innovative strategies to mobilize domestic resources for the health sector.

“We need the support of the private sector to join hands with us to expand our health services in the country. We need to improve our collaboration. I know very well from the Ministry of Health that we don't meet much with our private partners, but this is one area we need to work on and improve because the private sector is delivering a lot of work,” Dr. Harriet stated. “I know a time will come when we will sit with the private partners to discuss the outstanding achievements and the great work our private partner colleagues are doing.”

In addition, she highlighted the importance of private sector support in addressing the high prevalence of both communicable and non-communicable diseases, including cancer, which currently lacks specialized care in the country.

The ITERU Medical Centre is located adjacent to Promise Hospital near the Mobil roundabout, representing a crucial addition to Juba's healthcare landscape.