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WOMAN WALKS FOR TWO DAYS IN SEARCH OF HEALTH FACILITIES

At just 21, Nyandeng Nancy has endured challenges far greater than the two-day walk separating her village of Kaljak from the nearest health facility. Floods and displacement have cut off basic services, forcing her to walk nearly 48 hours whenever she needs treatment. “I came here because I am sick, and there is no medication in Kaljak,” she says. Her first visit to Nyaldiuh Mobile PHCC was for a persistent skin infection; this time, she returned pregnant and seeking antenatal care for her first child.

Nyandeng once dreamed of finishing school before being taken to the cattle camp and removed from education. “I still wanted to study,” she recalls. “If I get a chance, I want to be a doctor—so I can help my community.”

Thirty-year-old Nyadhuola Patai Jiol from Suk Saba A arrived at Nyaldiu Mobile PHCC weak and dehydrated from severe diarrhea. “I cannot know what medication to take unless the doctor checks,” she says. She was treated for water-related diarrhea with Mitra Nizol, Daringa, Paracetamol, and Amoxicillin.

With a history of miscarriages, Nyadhuola fears losing another pregnancy. “Maybe it is abdominal pain or kidney problems I don’t know,” she says. But after receiving her first dose, she felt immediate relief. “When I came, people looked like they were running. Now I feel better.” She shares her gratitude: “I am very happy with Health Link. God will bless you.”

Sexual and Reproductive Health Officer Juan Roy says the UNFPA-supported project targets flood-affected and hard-to-reach communities, offering OPD, ANC, PNC, maternity, family planning, and EPI services. Service uptake has risen sharply from just a few cases to about 70 clients daily.

Roy notes that many women seek contraception secretly due to fear of their communities and partners. Injectables are most preferred because they are discreet.

Achiro Evaline, a dedicated Midwife at the facility, says many women arrive exhausted after walking long distances. “Even with shortages, we try our best. Mothers depend on us,” she explains.

The facility faces major shortages: no electricity, no water, no delivery bed, limited diagnostic kits, drug shortages, and a leaking roof. Despite this, frontline workers like Roy and Achiro continue providing lifesaving care—offering hope, dignity, and survival to women like Nyandeng and Nyadhuola.