JUBA, March 31 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Friday launched a ten-year national health policy that seeks to strengthen health sector staffing, remuneration, capacity building, public-private partnership and security for health workers.
The government also launched an ambitious project dubbed Boma Health Initiative, which aims to take basic health care to rural communities where 80 percent of the country's population lives.
The National Health policy 2016 to 2026 calls for efforts to increase government's allocation to the health sector from the current 2 percent to at least four percent, equitable distribution of medicine and diversifying sources of resource mobilization.
In a speech delivered by First Vice President Taban Deng Gai on behalf of President Salva Kiir, the South Sudan leader pledged to implement the health policy to boost the health sector.
"Look forward to see that the resolutions made during this summit are implemented in letter and spirit to improve the health status of people and residents of South Sudan in order to enjoy healthy lives and achieve our full potential," Kiir said at the conclusion of a four-day health summit in Juba.
Minister of Health Riek Gai Kok said the policy envisions healthy livelihoods for South Sudanese by addressing main gaps in the health system such as quality control, public health laws and strengthening pharmaceutical distribution and storage.
Kok added that the policies would reduce infant and child maternal mortality through strengthening response to disease outbreaks and health infrastructure development.
According to the World Health Organization, South Sudan has one of the worst health indicators in Sub-Sahara Africa.
Life expectancy in the East African nation is 55 years, maternal mortality rate standing at over 2000 and infant mortality rate of 75 percent.
