WHO's Dr. Chavan (third from left), Kassala State Minister of Health (fifth from left) and Kassala Director General of Health (sixth from left) meet to discuss health education and promotion during the school festival (photo: WHO/Laxmikant Chavan).

December 03, 2017 -During the festival, WHO trained scores of volunteers and health promoters on handwashing, protection of drinking water, and latrine and personal hygiene. In tandem with Sudan’s Department of Health Promotion, 20 additional volunteers informed students about proper hygiene practices around food, water, and personal hygiene, and common diseases. Radio messages went out to all of Kassala state, including around 347 000 people living in towns and of course all the festival visitors.

Because viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF), including dengue fever, is endemic in Kassala, WHO, Kassala’s State Ministry of Health, and other partners also planned intensive prevention and control activities.

To support the health education and promotion even more, WHO Sudan shared 3,000 Posters on handwashing and 750 on vector control, as well as providing 100 T-shirts and caps, 50 aprons for spray workers, 1000 disposable bottling samples for water quality check, 2000 filtering paper pads in addition to 500 mg of Lauryl Membrane sulfate media to cover 2631 samples. Finally, WHO supported the festival with 20 000 personal protection mosquito repellents, to help manage any risk of mosquito born fevers, including dengue fever. 

Going forward WHO, Sudan’s Health Ministry, and health partners are maintaining strong surveillance of any VHF outbreaks, including investigation missions; VHF guidelines, management protocols, and case investigation forms; and strengthening health promotion for prevention.