Success stories
Sudan National Partnership Council
for Tuberculosis Control in 2010
Sudan’s
National Partnership Council for TB
control organized its first meeting
in Khartoum on 4 January 2010 to
discuss the current situation of TB
in the country and the activities of
the Council.
The meeting agenda covered many items, including the planned activities of World TB Day and endorsement in 2010 for the Partnership and official registration of the National Partnership Council in the Human Aid Commission of the Government of Sudan.
The Council asked the TB Ambassador (Professor Awad I Awad) to brief Sudan’s First Lady, Mrs Fatima Khalid, about the current situation of TB in the country, to seek her approval on the plan for 2010 and on the preparation of activities for World TB Day. The Partnership operates under the auspices of the First Lady.
All participants showed their willingness to support the national TB programme and TB patients in order to achieve their goals.
Fund-raising campaign for TB patients in Sudan
The Sudan National Stop TB Partnership organized an iftar on 26 Ramadan (16 September 2009) to raise funds for TB patients. As Ramadan is the month in which Muslims traditionally give charity, the iftar represented an opportunity to support TB patients, many of whom are also poor. The campaign was organized by members of the National Partnership according to a request from the Eastern Mediterranean Partnership to Stop TB and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. The main objective of this campaign was to raise funds for TB patients and their families in order to provide both financial and emotional support to them. The iftar was hosted by the Sudanese Women’s Union, whose contribution was appreciated and welcomed by all partners, especially Professor Awad E. Awad, the Chairman of the National Stop TB Partnership and the National Tuberculosis Programme. Funds were raised from different sectors. Religious groups participated with songs.
A series of meetings preceded the event at which donors pledged support and expressed their willingness to support TB patients and their families. Fruitful discussions were held on the situation of TB patients and the role of the National Partnership in supporting these patients. At the end of the iftar, donations were made in the form of money, food and clothes. The Sudanese TB Association provided food to 287 TB patients to a value of US$ 6550 and the Sudanese Women’s Union provided traditional Sudanese dresses to 150 female patients to a value of US$ 3500. The staff of the national tuberculosis programme also contributed US$ 500. All partners agreed that the campaign would be continued and extended to other states as support is needed in many areas. The media will play a major role in supporting TB patients, especially through the private television channel “Alamal”, and through the national programme there are opportunities for advocacy, communication and social mobilization activities. The National Stop TB Partnership was established under the auspices of Her Excellency the First Lady, the wife of the President. The TB campaign represents a golden opportunity to continue to raise funds and mobilize resources for patients in the future. It is hoped that with the support of higher levels efforts to control TB in Sudan are very encouraging and show much promise.
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On the left, TB ambassador and Chairman of the National Stop TB Partnership, Sudan, Professor Awad E. Awad speaking to attendees of the fund-raising iftar. On the right, Dr Hashim El Wagie, the national tuberculosis programme manager speaking to attendees about the situation of TB patients. |
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Religious songs were played after the iftar meal |
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