Dr. Bortel Ohisam, Director-General of Medical Stores receives some donations on behalf of the Minister of Health. Photo: UNFPA South Sudan.

Health authorities in Western Equatoria have concern over “lack of motivation and personal protective equipment” for frontline healthcare workers fighting coronavirus in the state.

“When somebody is going to a frontline, there is way you motivate them. Nobody is taking care of us. We work on our own,” says Theresa Dabi, acting director general at the state health ministry.

She said on Wednesday that the state has not received any support from the national government.

So far, a number of International and regional organizations, companies, and well-wishers have already contributed in cash and medical items to the Ministry of Health in a bid to support the government’s fight against the virus.

Among the donations is the World Bank’s $7.6 million it pledged in April.

Recently, the United States Agency for International Development allocated an additional $4.5 million to help stop the spread of coronavirus in South Sudan

In April, the taskforce also received a $100,000 check from IGAD to support the coronavirus response plan.

And on Wednesday, Swiss government donated 440,000 face masks to front-line aid workers and healthcare personnel in an attempt to fight coronavirus in South Sudan.

“We have been hearing there are donations from other countries but nothing has arrived here,” Dabi added.

However, there is no active coronavirus case in Western Equatoria State, after the only two patients received in June.

South Sudan registered its first novel coronavirus case in April.

Currently there are over 2,800 confirmed cases with 2,604 recoveries and 55 deaths.