Submitted by sherron on Thu, 2011-01-13 04:37

Less than four years ago, if someone got sick in John's home of Duk, the chances of dying were among the highest in the world. Conditions like pneumonia, malaria, or complicated childbirth, which are handled quite routinely in many other places in the world, could mean a death sentence for someone. But with the John Dau Foundation's construction of the Duk Lost Boys Clinic in May 2007, all that began to change. In five years, the child mortality rate in John's village dropped by more than half. 

At the same time, the new Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) has struggled to build its healthcare capacity while health facilities around the country remained closed up or without supplies or staff. But successes come, sometimes few and far between. Last month, a official from the Ministry of Health made the 100-mile trip, the last 10 miles of which were walking through flood waters, to reach the Duk Lost Boys Clinic. His purpose: To do an evaluation of what this special Clinic in such a remote area could do. Using a new tool developed by other agencies, he conducted a full evaluation of the Clinic, ranging from its health supplies, staffing levels, infrastructure, and even human resource practices. The result: the Clinic received an overall score of 97%, which would make it the highest in the region.

At the Duk Lost Boys Clinic, we have been able to meet international standards of quality care, whereas in other places in the world, providing such life-saving care is only a dream.  The successes of the Duk Lost Boys Clinic are example for all of Sudan and the world, of what is possible with the dedication and support of concerned citizens of the world.

You can view the complete report by clicking here.