In South Sudan’s northeastern Upper Nile State medical care for people living in remote areas is practically non-existent. Years of civil war and budget cuts have led to chronic underfunding and a near collapse of pre-existing medical structures.
MSF is providing decentralised medical outreach services to some of the most isolated places in the region, like Dethok or Oriny, from our main hospitals in the State.
Basic medical care is provided in the villages, with serious cases referred to either Malakal hospital - which lies roughly 70km up the White Nile river - or to Aburoc field hospital. Both are run by MSF teams.
Isolated villages like Dethok have been spared from much of the violence associated with the war, but they have also been left with little access to medical care.
![MSF leaves for Dethok village at the crack of dawn MSF leaves for Dethok village at the crack of dawn](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/372b41nmix45xy0o77854v3fq1ku4l4e.jpg)
![Introducing the team. Introducing the team.](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/5238ckuq2drnhbasm4uo1a1aaq4ln7g7.jpg)
![With the help of a tractor . With the help of a tractor .](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/5765320604t447r6233vuxiu43j38oht.jpg)
![Cattle camps on the route. Cattle camps on the route.](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/e413ej54ns3enu88276q38788itc8lo5.jpg)
![Meeting the village elders. Meeting the village elders.](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/si070f71064iy6scc7o2o0botk602gi4.jpg)
![MSF arrives at the health post in Dethok. MSF arrives at the health post in Dethok.](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/03hyg6yg57e14p8a5cem00d02ncbykgo.jpg)