7 February 2013 - Nine months after starting work in Bor's state hospital, the World Health Organization (WHO) handed over a fully equipped maternity ward to Jonglei State health authorities today.

The new ward, built by WHO with funds from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is a 40-bed health facility with modern maternity equipment.

The ward has two operating theatres, a labour suite, procedure room, emergency room, neonatal unit and eight cubicles, each with four beds. Other facilities include a recovery room, sluice rooms, waste room, consultation rooms, doctor's room, sterile equipment room, reception and nine washrooms.

WHO Head of Office Dr. Abdi Aden Mohamed said the ward in Bor would help reduce maternal mortality in the state, adding that his agency would assist with staffing it.

"In addition to the maternity ward, we have also secured support from CIDA to support professional development," he said. "We have already sponsored two medical doctors for training, specializing in gynaecology and obstetrics in Khartoum and Uganda."

WHO has also deployed three international staff to mentor national staff at the hospital – in obstetrics, gynaecology and anaesthesiology – and two UN Volunteer midwives.

Canadian Ambassador Nick Coghan noted the 75 per cent of maternal deaths were due to obstetric complications. He urged the state Ministry of Health and WHO to reach out to communities and inform women about available services.
Jonglei State Governor Kuol Mayang Juuk noted that the new facility would allow women to be treated at home.

"With this health facility, people of Jonglei will not send their wives to Uganda and Kenya for medial obstetric emergencies," the governor said. "We have qualified doctors and what we lacked were the facilities. Now we have them."

WHO Head of Office Dr. Abdi Aden Mohamed said his agency planned to construct similar maternity wards in seven other states.