Rwandan peacekeepers serving under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have conducted a clean-up exercise at Kapoeta state hospital, as part of their civil-military engagements. Activities entailed painting and weeding parts of the hospital.

This initiative by the troops came in the margins of a four-day integrated patrol of the peacekeeping mission to the area.

“It is an expression of the human nature of the mission, and our way of giving back to the communities we serve,” stated Caroline Waudo, the representative of the United Nations mission in Eastern Equatoria. “We will continue to build confidence and trust with the people through such initiatives,” she added.

According to the area director of the hospital, Mr Moustapha Lokuro, the last time the hospital saw such renovations was in 2015. He also noted that the hospital plans to conduct weekly clean-ups in collaboration with other development partners.

“These renovations have come at the right time, and will help prevent secondary infections,” he said.

Although appreciative of the move by the UN mission, he made further calls for support.

“We need the peacekeeping mission’s help to renovate our dilapidated outpatient department, which dates back to 1952 and has suffered a series of bombings from previous wars,” he continued. “As you can see, outpatients sit in the open for consultations. It becomes more dire during the rainy season when the open area gets flooded,” he explained.

The Rwandan troops concluded their activities at the hospital with their medical officers dressing the wounds of in-patients.