South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit has dismissed the Minister of Health, Sarah Cleto Rial, and appointed Luke Thomson Thoan as her replacement.

The decree was issued late on Friday night, March 27, 2026, and read on state-run South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC).

Cleto, who was appointed in May 2025, belongs to the SPLM-IO faction led by Peace Minister Stephen Par Kuol.

No official reason was given for her dismissal.

On the same day, Kiir also removed the undersecretary in the health ministry, Dr. Kennedy Gaaniko, replacing him with Dr. Oromo Francis Seriano.

The reshuffle comes just days after the US Embassy in Juba ordered the immediate withdrawal of all US-funded laboratory personnel and equipment from the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) in Juba.

In a diplomatic note dated March 24, 2026, the embassy cited “credible reports” that the facility had been occupied by military forces and that control had been transferred to an individual known in the donor community for attempting to divert aid resources.

The letter described the situation as creating “unacceptable risks” to US resources and personnel.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed receiving the letter and said the matter would be discussed with the relevant authorities.

South Sudan’s health sector relies heavily on donor funding, and the withdrawal is expected to affect laboratory services and public health operations in the country.

The latest changes are part of a series of recent reshuffles by President Kiir, including the dismissal of officials from both the government and opposition SPLM-IO factions.

These moves come amid ongoing tensions in the unity government, the continued house arrest and treason trial of First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, and stalled implementation of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.