The Panthou Payam community in Aweil South County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, has completed a crucial 5-kilomter feeder road connecting their Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) to the main road.
The project addresses the long-standing challenge of
ambulances getting stuck during the rainy season, which made it difficult to
transfer patients with serious medical conditions to Aweil town.
Payam Administrator Victor Garang Geng confirmed the road’s
completion to Akol Yam FM, emphasizing its importance.
“We sat as the community with the help from the IRC to make
it a project. This road is completed, reaching from the market up to the health
facility. This time, the hospital will not be cut off again,” Geng said.
Victor Garang noted that the Panthou PHCC is one of the most
critical health facilities in Aweil South, making the road a lifesaving link
for the community.
While celebrating the achievement, the community requested
additional support from the state government, particularly for marram
(laterite) and culverts, which were not included in the initial construction.
Executive Chief Makuei Majok expressed gratitude to the International
Rescue Committee (IRC) who supported the workers with incentive and called for
continued support.
“What remains is the marram because the water which let
people fear has stopped. If there is some help with marram, then our suffering
will come to an end. We thank the IRC for supporting this project, and we wish
them continued supporting us,” Majok said.
Flooding in the past year has severely affected health
facilities and schools across the area, often cutting off access for patients
and students. The new road is expected to improve mobility and save lives in
Panthou.