Eighteen hundred UN peace-keepers in South Sudan will have full medical facilities available to them thanks to a field hospital just opened by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The UN MIssion in South Sudan, UNMISS, is working in challenging conditions to protect civilians and their human rights, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, and support the peace process.
UK field hospital for UN forces in Bentiu
The current temporary hospital will be staffed by personnel from all three services, and will be replaced by a permanent field hospital built by Royal Engineers.
British troops make up a significant part of the UNMISS presence. There are 400 in the British military contingent which is also providing engineering support to the UN mission in both Bentiu and Malakal. Their current projects include the construction of a jetty on the River Nile, helicopter landing sites, and other infrastructure improvements.
The field hospital will be run by over 75 medical staff, including specialists in infectious diseases, intensive care and surgery.
Its facilities include:
- An emergency department
- A surgical theatre
- A laboratory
- An x-ray and head CT scanner
- An aero-medical evacuation team
- Wards including isolation facility
