Federal Health Team Reviews Clinics Across Five Counties in Northern Bahr el Ghazal
A supportive supervision team from South Sudan's national Ministry of Health has wrapped up a five-day visit to Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, inspecting health facilities and meeting local officials as part of an ongoing national project to strengthen primary healthcare. The mission, based in the state capital Aweil, was carried out under the Project Management Unit overseeing the Health Sector Transformation Project (HSTP).
What the mission covered
The team visited health facilities in all five counties of the state, examining how services are delivered on the ground and offering direct mentoring and technical support to health workers. Facilities assessed included Panthou Primary Health Care Centre in Aweil South, Maluakon County Hospital in Aweil East, Mabor-Akot Primary Health Care Centre in Aweil Centre, Gokmachar Primary Health Care Centre in Aweil North, and Nyamlel Primary Health Care Centre in Aweil West. The exercise was designed to identify gaps in essential health services and recommend practical improvements rather than to penalize underperforming sites.
Engagement with state leadership
Beyond facility visits, the team held discussions with Northern Bahr el Ghazal's State Minister of Health, Jafer Riiny Riiny, and senior health officials to review progress made so far, outstanding challenges, and priorities for the months ahead. Minister Jafer praised the national team's collaborative approach at the close of the visit and emphasized that frontline health workers represent the backbone of the state's health system, warranting stronger institutional support. The HSTP management, in turn, thanked the state ministry, county health departments, healthcare workers, community leaders, and partner organizations for their cooperation throughout the exercise.
Context: the Health Sector Transformation Project
The HSTP is a government-led initiative backed by international partners, aimed at reinforcing primary healthcare delivery, building the skills and capacity of frontline workers, and widening access to quality care across South Sudan. Supportive supervision visits like this one are a recurring mechanism within the project, intended to pair oversight with mentorship rather than one-off inspection. The specific findings from this Northern Bahr el Ghazal mission, including any facility-level gaps identified, were not detailed publicly, and it remains unclear what concrete follow-up actions or timelines will result from the visit.