Catholic clinic in South Sudan closes temporarily as doctors test positive for Covid

Wau, South Sudan, Feb 19, 2021 / 10:45 am (CNA).- A Catholic health centre of the Diocese of Wau has temporarily shut down after all three doctors at the facility tested positive for Covid-19.

The administrator of Sika Hadid Primary Health Centre, Sr. Bibiana Efimi, announced Feb. 17 that the clinic will remain closed for over a fortnight, depending on the recovery of the medical personnel.

“Our clinic is closed down because our doctors are under quarantine; they tested positive and they will be away for two weeks,” Sr. Bibiana confirmed to ACI Africa.

She added, “After 14 days, the doctors will go for another test; if the test is okay then we will open, otherwise it will remain closed.”

The leadership of the hospital, in coordination with the diocesan authorities, have asked the government leaders in Western Bahr el Ghazal state to assist in providing the hospital with doctors to cover for their colleagues in isolation.

“At the moment, we don’t have doctors to work and we have to remain closed unless the government comes in to help us,” Sr. Bibiana said. “I informed the county authorities and if they help us, then there may be hope of reopening the facility soon.”

The health coordinator for the Wau diocese, Dr. Jurel Payii Mamur, reiterated Sr. Bibiana’s message, saying that the centre will remain closed for about two weeks as the doctors go through their isolation period.

Mamur told ACI Africa that “The decision to close Sika Hadid Clinic came after the Church administration and the administration of the health care conducted a meeting and resolved to close down the Centre.”

South Sudan has had 5,922 confirmed cases of Covid-19, and 79 deaths.