Darfur Peace and Development

October 21, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — Aweil East county commissioner, Diing Aher Ngong, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, today acknowledged increased maternal mortality rate in the area.

Speaking from Aweil town, he said maternal mortality has remained a great challenge in rural and poor communities across his county territorial borders.

Monthly reports from county health authority director indicate that there is high maternal mortality in rural areas because people do not have access to medical services, he said.

The Millennium Development Goal strive for improvement of maternal health and encouraged governments work at making basic health facilities in rural communities easily accessible to the people a priority.

Earlier commissioner, said, although there is no proper budget as south depends entirely on 50% share of oil from the central government, the northern Bahr el Ghazal state Government is determined as is always aspired to provide cost- effective health services to everyone.

He added that villages, situated about 15 kilometers from Wanjok county headquarters from low lands and those in the far north of high lands, have never had clinic or access to basic health service since time memorial.

Clinic there are far reaching in the middle lands where number of relief organizations during war helped construct emergency clinics.

“It is in our priorities to construct clinics to alleviate suffering of our people of who used to travel long distance for medical services,” he said.

(ST)