Sudan country office
What are the objectives of WHO in Sudan?
2004 has seen a number of developments in Sudan of particular significance for the humanitarian situation and WHO work.
The most critical has been the escalation of the conflict in Darfur, with major humanitarian consequences. With over 1.5 million internally displaced persons, spread over more than 130 temporary settlements throughout an area as big as France, the health situation remains critical.
Thankfully, in the course of the year, peace negotiations between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement Army took place to bring an end to the internal conflict situation in Sudan. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in Naivasha brings a new dimension to the work of WHO in Sudan, while the Country enters a complex and predictably long transition.
WHO's overall goal in Sudan is to see avoidable mortality and morbidity among the most vulnerable people reduced, and help the Country progress towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals under the leadership of the UN.
Strategically, this means ensuring that the threats to human life and health are tackled promptly, and in a manner that contributes to social stability and peace. At the same time, the foundations for healthier livelihoods, i.e. reduction of child mortality, improvement in maternal health and reduction of risk from major epidemics, need to be established in an equitable and sustainable manner across the Country. This calls for cohesive macro level policies and local initiatives.
Consistent and well chosen investments are essential and WHO must lead by example. For Sudan's health sector to benefit in full from the UN Humanitarian Plan of Work and the Framework for Transition, Reconstruction and Poverty Eradication, WHO country cooperative programme, and the other activities conducted under Polio, GFTAM, GAVI, 3X5 and CMH, need to fit seamlessly in the UN unified approach led by the SRSG, and this effort needs to be evident to all actual and potential partners.
According to what stipulated in the CPA, the transition ("the Interim Period") will last six years. WHO's strategic shift will be incremental and is expected to be fully underway by the third quarter of 2005. Meanwhile, WHO will maintain, and build upon its work and its partnerships in the North and in the South, while realigning its assets according to the new context.
In Sudan WHO intends:
to sustain the survival of vulnerable peoples,
to ensure the delivery of priority health services across the country,
to back the transitional & peacekeeping processes,
to facilitate the recovery of the health sector in the South and
to support the decentralization efforts of MoH.
Who is the representative of WHO in Sudan and what are his functions?
WHO Representative in Sudan, Dr.
Mohammad Abdur Rab, acts under the authority
of the Director-General and the Regional Director, on behalf of the Organization as a whole, and is the senior officer responsible for all aspects of the collaborative activities of WHO in the country and also establishes and maintains close contact with highest levels of the national health administration & related agencies.
The main functions of WHO Representative include:
National, regional and global health policy formulation and implementation;
Planning, program and management of national health programs;
Planning and management of WHO collaborative activities in the country;
Mobilization and rationalization of the use of available resources;
Guidance and supervision of WHO field staff in the country;
Coordination within the country and with External partners;
Representation of the totality of the Organization at country level.
