New MSF Health Academy and Isolation Unit Open at Bentiu Hospital

(BENTIU, Unity State) – Health training and outbreak response capacity in South Sudan’s Unity State have received a significant boost with the official launch of a new medical academy and a disease isolation unit at Bentiu State Hospital.

The MSF Academy for Healthcare and the Multi-Purpose Diseases Outbreak Isolation Area were inaugurated on Tuesday by the Unity State Ministry of Health in partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as MSF.

The academy will work to improve the skills of frontline health workers from the hospital and the state ministry of health.

The isolation area is designed to strengthen the state’s readiness and reaction to infectious disease outbreaks, offering protection to patients, health workers and the wider community.

The event was led by the Deputy Governor of Unity State, Gatjang Gieng. He encouraged young people to continue working hard in their professions so that more lives can be saved.

He told health workers including doctors, nurses, midwives, clinical officers and cleaners that the state government sees and values their work. He stated that the Governor is aware of their challenges and will address them as far as possible.

MSF Project Coordinator Fernandez De la Rosa Allan praised the long cooperation between MSF and the Unity State Government through the Ministry of Health.

He urged the trainees to use the new skills they gain to save lives and to take this chance to make health service delivery stronger across Unity State.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of Bentiu State Hospital, Dr Pean, supported the remarks and asked MSF to consider widening its services so that more students can benefit from the training programmes at the academy.

The Director General for Health in Unity State, Dr Paul Banen, promised health workers that the State Ministry of Health will do everything within its power to deal with the challenges they have raised.

He stressed the need to put in place the extension of the Bentiu Health Science Institute so that more students can be trained and sent out across the state to save lives.

The Unity State Minister of Health, Jal Puok, noted with thanks the continued cooperation between MSF-Holland and the State Ministry of Health. He renewed the Ministry’s promise to strengthen the health system and to improve the quality of care for all communities in Unity State.

The facilities were officially opened on 1 July 2026, following a public notice issued last month by the state health ministry and MSF.

A press release by the State Ministry of Health stated the twin launch marks another step towards a stronger and more resilient health system in Unity State.