Building Hope Through Training: how one surgeon will begin to transform paediatric care in South Sudan

In a world where every child deserves access to safe, quality healthcare, some regions face seemingly insurmountable challenges. South Sudan, a country of over 11 million people, represents one of the starkest examples of this healthcare divide. Until recently, this young nation had not a single trained paediatric surgeon, a reality that meant countless children were either turned away from care or forced to seek treatment far from home, often at great financial and emotional cost to their families. 

This World Patient Safety Day, as we focus on ensuring "Safe Care for Every Newborn and Every Child," we're proud to share a story of hope, determination, and the transformative power of surgical training that directly addresses this critical gap. In a nation where one in every eleven children dies before their fifth birthday, most from treatable or preventable conditions, the absence of access to safe surgical care is a silent crisis. 

Meeting Dr Betty: A Pioneer in the Making 

Dr Betty Arkangelo Yuggu Philimona's journey to becoming South Sudan's first paediatric surgeon began with heartbreak. During her internship, she witnessed children in urgent need of surgery being turned away. Not because their conditions were untreatable, but because the specialised care they needed simply didn't exist in her country. 

"I love children, and it pains me to see them suffer," Dr Betty explains. "During my internship in South Sudan, I saw children in urgent need of surgery turned away, not because their conditions were untreatable, but because the right care didn't exist." 

Her determination to change this reality led her to pursue paediatric surgery training at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, under the supervision of Dr Bip Nandi. Now in her fifth and final year of training, Dr Betty is preparing to return home as a beacon of hope for South Sudan's youngest patients.  

The Challenge: A Healthcare System Under Strain 

South Sudan's healthcare landscape tells a sobering story. Years of conflict have severely impacted the system, leaving virtually no dedicated paediatric surgical services, even in urban areas. Children often travel vast distances for basic surgical care, only to find facilities that are unequipped or understaffed. For complex conditions, referrals outside the country are the norm rather than the exception. 

The situation is particularly dire for neonatal care, with no Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) available throughout the country. This gap in specialised care has profound implications for patient safety, as families are forced to make impossible choices between seeking care abroad—often beyond their financial means—or accepting the devastating consequences of untreated conditions. 

A Partnership for Change: Kids Operating Room and Global CARE 

In 2021, KidsOR sought partners to help fund Dr Betty’s 5-year training to become a paediatric surgeon and applied to what was then the Global Surgery Foundation (now Global CARE) for support. Their application stood out for its compelling need and for the clear vision they presented of how Dr Betty’s training could transform children's surgical care in South Sudan. 

Kids Operating Room, an organisation dedicated to ensuring that children worldwide have access to safe surgical care when they need it, recognised the immense value of Dr Betty's work. Their mission centres on supporting initiatives that build sustainable surgical capacity for children in underserved regions, believing that every child deserves access to life-saving surgery regardless of where they are born. 

Recognising the critical importance of addressing this healthcare gap, GSF awarded £6,500 to support the first year of Dr Betty's five-year paediatric surgery training programme. With additional support from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and the remainder funded by Kids Operating Room, she will soon be able to perform life-saving procedures that were previously impossible, transforming outcomes for children who would have faced preventable disability or death. 

Recognising that training alone isn't enough, Kids Operating Room will also secure funding for a fully equipped operating theatre in Juba, ensuring Dr Betty has the proper facilities to practise her life-saving skills upon her return. This investment goes far beyond supporting one individual's education. The operating theatre will have the capacity to perform 600 procedures annually. Each surgery represents not just a medical intervention, but a prevention of life years lost to disability or premature death, a powerful testament to the multiplier effect of surgical training. 

Beyond Surgery: Building a System 

Dr Betty's vision extends far beyond her own surgical practice. She plans to establish a paediatric surgery unit at Juba Teaching Hospital, train general surgeons and nurses in essential skills, and advocate for better equipment and specialist anaesthesia training. Her approach recognises that sustainable change requires building capacity across the entire healthcare system. 

"While the challenges, from workforce gaps to infrastructure, are significant, I am committed to helping create a stronger, more inclusive system for children's surgical care," Dr Betty explains.  

The Ripple Effect of Safe Care 

Having a trained paediatric surgeon in South Sudan means, as Dr Betty describes, “hope within reach. Families will no longer face the stress and cost of seeking care abroad. Children will receive timely diagnosis, treatment and follow ups, essential for their growth and recovery.” 

Dr Betty's story exemplifies the core principles of World Patient Safety Day 2025, demonstrating that patient safety isn't just about protocols and procedures, it's about ensuring every child has access to the care they need when they need it.  

Her story reminds us that sometimes the most powerful way to ensure safe care for every newborn and every child is to invest in the people who will provide that care. Through her dedication and the collaborative support she has received from RCSEd, KidsOR and RCPSG, South Sudan's children will soon have what every child deserves: access to expert, compassionate, and safe surgical care close to home.