LocationsJoint field visit showcases impact of Canada’s support to Global Fund in South Sudan
December 15, 2025
H.E. Joanne Minns, Ambassador of Canada to South Sudan (3rd from right), Dr. Mohamed Abchir, UNDP Resident Representative (2nd from right), Dr. Bortel Ohisa, Executive Director of Central Medical Stores, Ministry of Health (2nd from left), and other officials at a medical incinerator at Riverside Warehouse, Gumbo.
JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN—The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Health and the Embassy of Canada in South Sudan held a joint field visit to a health facility and a warehouse supported through the Global Fund partnership. The visit to Kator Primary Health Care Centre and Riverside Warehouse, Gumbo provided an opportunity to witness firsthand the life-saving impact of Canada's vital contributions to the Global Fund.
From the provision of essential care to vulnerable communities, to a well-stocked warehouse ensuring a steady supply of HIV and TB medicines and laboratory reagents to over 245 hospitals, this partnership provides prevention, treatment, and care, ensuring that communities have access to the health services they need to thrive. Through this collaboration, South Sudan is driving tangible progress in the fight against HIV, TB, and malaria.
Ambassador Joanne Minns interacts with UNDP and Central Equatorial State Ministry of Health officials during a field visit to Kator PHCC. Through Global Fund support, the facility has a solar system installed, is supplied with HIV and TB drugs, and has its TB laboratory equipped.
The visiting team comprised of H.E. Joanne Minns, Ambassador of Canada to South Sudan, Dr. Mohamed Abchir, the UNDP Resident Representative, Dr. Bortel Ohisa, the Executive Director Central Medical Stores, Ministry of Health and Mr. Charles Clement, the Director Primary Health Care in the State Ministry of Health – Central Equatorial State.
Solar improves patient care
During the visit, the delegation observed significant improvements in the country's health infrastructure and the delivery of critical health services. At Kator PHCC for example, officials noted improved patient care and diagnostics capacity and access to treatment for HIV and tuberculosis, made possible by a reliable supply of essential medicines and testing equipment, notably the GeneXpert machines through Global Fund support.
Inside the solar control room at Kator PHCC. Solar power enables safe drug storage, proper functioning of medical equipment, and uninterrupted health services at the facility.
The health facility’s leadership also reported proper functioning of medical equipment, improved security of infrastructure, and proper storage of drugs thanks to the solar system at the facility which is enabling the reliable functioning of air conditioners for drug storage.
Kator PHCC is among the 23 hospitals and health facilities equipped with solar power through the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) grant. This initiative has provided reliable power for diagnostics, inpatient care, improved vaccine and blood storage, and cut costs from diesel dependence while ensuring a safer working environment for health workers.
Procurement and distribution of HIV and TB Drugs
Quality care starts with quality storage. Ambassador Joanne Minns, Dr. Mohamed Abchir, and Dr. Bortel Ohisa inside Riverside Warehouse, Gumbo. Over 245 hospitals receive HIV and TB drugs from this warehouse.
The delegation also visited the Riverside Warehouse in Gumbo, a central hub for storing and distributing HIV and TB commodities to over 245 health facilities across the country. The visit highlighted how donor support has strengthened the supply chain and logistics needed to ensure that medicines reach the most vulnerable populations.
“Canada’s generous support to the Global Fund is directly translating into improved health outcomes for the people of South Sudan. Things are happening and communities are being positively impacted,” said Dr. Mohamed Abchir, the UNDP Resident Representative.
Proper management of hazardous medical waste is critical to protecting public health and the environment. Ambassador Joanne Minns, Dr. Mohamed Abchir, and other officials visited a medical incinerator at Riverside Warehouse in Gumbo.
Noting disruptions and decline in development assistance, Ambassador Joanne Minns called for increased domestic health funding to sustain the important gains made, “Canada adds its voice to the calls for increased domestic funding. Especially as donor dollars decrease, this is the time South Sudan must take up the difference and assume ownership and accountability for the health sector. Seeing facilities like this, it would be tragic if they couldn’t be maintained,” she said at Riverside Warehouse, Gumbo.
The visit is a powerful testament to the ongoing collaboration between the UNDP, the Global Fund, and major donors like Canada. It reinforces the shared commitment to defeating the three diseases and guaranteeing a healthier future for all South Sudanese.
The field visit concluded inside the Riverside Warehouse in Gumbo with the sharing of knowledge products profiling the results of the UNDP–Global Fund partnership in South Sudan.
As one of the Global Fund's biggest donors, Canada's support is crucial in our fight against HIV, TB, and malaria. During the Global Fund’s 8th replenishment held on November 21, 2025, Canada pledged CAD1.02 billion ($723 million) for the period 2027-2029. This contribution reflects Canada’s continued leadership in global health, and commitment to addressing the needs of the poorest and marginalized in the face of future health crises.