Consensus meeting to address ECSA findings, Khartoum, Sudan, 23 July 2018 (Photo: WHO).24 July 2018 – The Federal Ministry of Health in Sudan, with support from WHO and in collaboration with emergency care partners and stakeholders, have concluded a consensus meeting to address the gaps identified by the Emergency Care System Assessment (ECSA) conducted in Sudan in 2018.

The 2-day meeting, which was attended by 51 participants including partners, policy-makers and emergency care providers from Federal and state levels, initiated the process of developing a priorities action plan to strengthen the emergency care system in the country.

The consensus on the findings of the comprehensive system-level assessment will consider the legislative and governance frameworks of the decentralized health system in Sudan’s 18 states. It will also guide the development of a country-wide emergency care system implementation plan that focuses on a wide range of medical, surgical and obstetric services including injury, complications of pregnancy, exacerbations of noncommunicable diseases and acute infections. 

“The Federal Ministry of Health, WHO and partners will continue to work to identify potential resources and key stakeholders to step up the implementation of strengthening the emergency care system in Sudan,” said Dr Naeema Al Gasseer, WHO Representative in Sudan. “Every individual needs to be ready for emergencies. We would like to advocate for conducting a series of first aid courses at schools, factories and communities, since such skills save lives”, she added. 

WHO estimates show road traffic death rates in Sudan to be among the highest in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, at 24 deaths per 100 000 population. ECSA data also reflect the availability of fully certified specialist programmes in emergency medicine for doctors – but not for nurses, or specialists in the area of trauma care. Findings also pinpoint the lack of a formal government-ratified certification pathway for pre-hospital care providers, in addition to the absence of a single national emergency care access number.

This meeting is part of a WHO regional initiative that aims to strengthen the emergency care systems in Member States. It is hoped that the outcome of this meeting will pave the way for more structured actions towards a strong emergency medical care system and contribute to reducing the annually incurred death and disability rates in Sudan. 

For more information, please contact:

Ajyal Sultany
WHO Communications Officer
+246 900907512
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