Establishing a permanent health science institute in Aweil Municipality to train the next generation of skilled health workers.
Increasing skilled health professionals
South Sudan has some of the worst health indicators in the world, including one of the highest levels of maternal and infant mortality rates. People in South Sudan have very poor access to healthcare, particularly for those living in remote and hard-to-reach or conflict-affected regions. A shortage of health facilities and the number of skilled health professionals remains one of the leading limiting factors to accessing care. It is estimated that South Sudan has just one physician per 65,574 individuals and one midwife per 39,088 population individuals.
To improve the number of skilled health professionals in the country, particularly in rural regions, HealthNet TPO is supporting the construction of the Aweil Health Science Institute in Aweil Municipality to train prospective health workers and to enhance the skills and knowledge of existing health professionals. With support from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, this permanent institute will immediately support up to 500 post-secondary students to train to become health professionals. The newly trained health professionals will serve the entire 1.16 million people living in the state, contributing to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.
Supporting the local community
Constructing the Health Science Institute will also create employment opportunities for local people in planning and construction, providing a source of income for many in this rural region.
In addition, the Aweil Health Science Institute aims to support higher education for women and girls, and reduce gender disparities in healthcare. Once completed, it will promote qualified female youth for courses to complete training.