Strengthening
GAVI’s support to countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region
The Federal Ministry of Health of Sudan hosted the
18th meeting of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional (EMR) GAVI
Working Group was conducted on 17 and 18 September in Khartoum, Sudan,
to discuss and deliberate issues related to the Global Alliance for
Vaccine and Immunization’s (GAVI) support at country level. The meeting
included participants from the Ministries of Health, WHO and UNICEF from
the 7 GAVI supported countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia,
Djibouti, Sudan and South Sudan) as well as from WHO and UNICEF regional
offices.
Over the years, countries receiving GAVI support in
the Region have witnessed a substantial increase in routine immunization
coverage. The meeting was a venue for countries in the EMR to discuss
experiences and successes of implementing the GAVI Health Systems
Strengthening window which has encouraged other global health
initiatives to follow GAVI’s lead as they have been successful in
implementing the Health Systems Strengthening proposals.
FMoH
and WHO appeal for support to intensify fight against non-communicable
diseases
Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health together with
the World Health Organization called on all stakeholders to support
efforts to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country. This
appeal was made on the occasion of the first ever high-level meeting
convened by the United Nations on non-communicable disease prevention
and control. Global leaders have met at the United Nations in New York
from 19-20 September 2011 to set a new international agenda to tackle
NCDs in the future.
Once thought of as a rich country's problem, NCDs
now take an increasing global toll: four out of every five deaths occur
in a low or middle income country. Many of those deaths are among people
under 60, triggering serious social and economic consequences.
Sudan celebrates World Breastfeeding Week
12
September 2011 - Today marks the launch of the World Breastfeeding Week in
Sudan with a high-level gathering of health authorities in Sudan in
Khartoum. Representatives of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the
Federal Ministry of Health committed for a strengthened implementation of
breastfeeding campaign.
While the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Sudan
has increased from 36% in 2006 to 41% in 2010 according to the Sudan
Household Surveys, it highlights the need to further increase awareness in
the community and among health workers.
“Breastfeeding is the most effective intervention to
reduce under 5 mortality,” WHO Representative in Sudan Dr Anshu Banerjee
highlighted during the gathering. It is also part of the Secretary General’s
Global Strategy for Women and Child as 1 in 3 children die due to
malnutrition, either directly or indirectly.
Regional Workshop for comprehensive Multi-Year
Plan (cMYP) for EPI opens in Khartoum
11
September 2011 – The 5-day regional training workshop on developing
a comprehensive multiyear plan (cMYP) for countries of the Eastern
Mediterranean Region opened on 11
September in Khartoum with participants from Egypt, Islamic Republic of
Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia and Sudan.
The training workshop aims to develop or update the
participating countries’ comprehensive multiyear plans in line with the
Global Immunization Vision and Strategy including the costing and financing
component.
“Having a clear picture of the cost of proposed activities, particularly for
the introduction of new vaccines and for additional strategies to reach
every child, is important in order to secure the needed funds and to ensure
financial sustainability” WHO Representative in Sudan Dr Anshu Banerjee
underlined during his remarks at the opening session of the training
workshop.
Introduction of life-saving rotavirus vaccine in
Sudan
To
address the issue of high infant mortality rate due to rotavirus infections,
Rota vaccine was introduced in Sudan on 17 July 2011 in a high-level
gathering in Khartoum. The event coincided with the commemoration day of the
immunization programme’s launch in Sudan 35 years ago. The introduction of
Rota vaccine in Sudan was officially announced by Presidential Advisor Dr
Ahmed Bilal Osman, Health Minister Dr Al Sadiq Gismallah, WHO Representative
Dr Anshu Banerjee, UNICEF Representative Mr. Nils Kastberg, and GSK
Representative Hesham Badr.
Sudan is the first country in
Africa where Rota vaccine is introduced with support from the GAVI Alliance.
In his speech, the
Presidential Advisor Osman said hopes are high that with the introduction of
Rota vaccine infant mortality rate will significantly decrease, as Rota
vaccine will address one of Sudan’s 4 big killer diseases - diarrhoea. The
country’s 4 big killer diseases are diarrhoea, malaria, acute respiratory
infection, and measles. Osman acknowledged the support extended by WHO,
UNICEF, GAVI, GSK, and other health partners to Expanded Programme on
Immunization of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH).
Meanwhile, WHO Representative
Dr Banerjee highlighted the evidence based decision to introduce rotavirus
vaccine into the national immunization programme based on Rota virus
Gastro-Enteritis surveillance which was supported by WHO and its possible
impact on child mortality.
Rotaviruses
Rotaviruses are a leading
cause of severe diarrhoeal disease and dehydration in infants and young
children throughout the world. Most symptomatic episodes occur in young
children between the ages of 3 months and 2 years. The virus spreads rapidly
among children through fecal-oral route.
According to WHO estimates,
more than 0.5 million children aged under 5 years die each year from
vaccine-preventable rotavirus infections. Though the virus affects children
in developed and developing countries almost equally, 85% of all deaths take
place in developing countries. 250,000 occur in Africa.
Cost effectiveness of
the introduction of Rota vaccine in Sudan
In order to decide whether the
introduction of this vaccine in Sudan would be cost effective, the FMoH set
up with the support of WHO the Rota virus Gastro-Enteritis surveillance
which showed that 33% of all stool samples (>9000 samples) collected from
sentinel sites were positive for Rota virus and 42% of positive cases were
among infants less than 8 months of age. Based on the surveillance that
showed the magnitude of the disease keeping in mind that gastroenteritis and
dehydration represent close to 20% out of all admissions and about 11% of
hospital deaths in under 5 children the National TAG recommended the MOH in
June 2009 to introduce the Rota vaccine. A proposal prepared by the NIP with
a support from all members of the ICC was submitted to GAVI and approved in
September 2009 and the vaccine arrived in country on 28th June 2011. The WHO
pre-qualified vaccines are procured with GAVI funds through the UNICEF
Supply Division in Copenhagen.
WHO recommends that rotavirus
vaccine for infants should be included in all national immunization
programmes and that the first dose of the vaccine be administered at age
6–15 weeks. The second dose should be given 4 weeks later. The maximum age
for administering the second dose of the vaccine should be 32 weeks.
The 2-dose Rotarix vaccine
that will be used in Sudan has proven to be safe and effective if given to
infants in the recommended age. A recent review published in the Pediatric
Infectious Disease Journal showed that after two doses there was a 85% drop
in hospitalizations and deaths due to rota virus.
However, the use of rotavirus
vaccines should be part of a comprehensive strategy to control diarrhoeal
diseases; this strategy should include, among other interventions,
improvements in hygiene and sanitation, zinc supplementation,
community-based administration of oral rehydration solution and overall
improvements in case management.
Sudan introduced pentavalent
vaccine, and now with the introduction of rotavirus vaccine and next year
hopefully the pneumococcal vaccine Sudan will provide vaccination coverage
to its children equivalent to most developed countries. As Sudan is
co-financing these vaccines together with GAVI and the cost of these
vaccines is expected to drop over the years, Sudan should be able to fully
support the cost of these vaccines and the immunization programme in the
near future.
Sudan celebrates World
Blood Donor Day
Carrying hope for more
voluntary blood donors
The Federal Ministry of Health
of the Republic of Sudan and the Ministry of Health - White Nile State in
collaboration with World Health Organization celebrated World Blood Donors
Day on 14 June 2011 with the theme “More blood. More life”. This theme
reinforces the urgent need for more people all over the world to become
life-savers by volunteering to donate blood regularly.
World Blood Donor Day
The event was dedicated to
salute the everyday unsung heroes, who want to help their fellow citizens by
donating blood. The celebration took place in White Nile State in the
presence of His Excellency the Undersecretary of the Federal Ministry of
Health, Dr Essam Eldin; and other federal and state officials.
During the celebration, the
Minister of Health of White Nile State Dr Abdalla Abdelkarim stressed the
need to mobilize many more donors in order to achieve the target of 100
percent voluntary blood donation as voluntary unpaid donors are the
foundation of a safe blood supply.
Hela Hop comedy group
entertained the gathered crowd with witty jokes about health and blood
donation, an event which added a welcome color to the celebration.
The Day was also marked by the
inauguration of the Central Blood Bank of the White Nile state which was
renovated and expanded with financial assistance from the Global Fund.
“WHO Sudan is working closely
with the FMOH to contribute towards Sudan’s efforts to increase the safety
and availability of blood and blood products in the country,” WHO
Representative Dr Anshu Banerjee empashized during a press conference
attended by 30 members of the national media held at the Sudan News Agency
in Khartoum.
WHO joined the National Blood
Transfusion Services (NBTS) in calling on Sudanese citizens to donate blood.
WHO Representative Banerjee
added, “There can’t be a more rewarding experience than the realization that
you have saved the life of a mother who might have bled to death, or a child
who might have died from cancer had it not been for your donation of one
unit of blood.
Blood donation in Sudan
According to the National
Blood Transfusion Services there are around 160,000 blood donors donating
around 205, 183 units (bags) of blood annually, far from the number needed
to cover the total needs of blood for Sudan. Voluntary blood donation rate
is around 34% which means there is a lot of work to do to achieve the goal
of reaching 100% voluntary donation. Family donors who donate for family
members in need make up the main proportion of the blood donor population
To date, Sudan has 316
hospitals performing blood transfusion, serving a population of around 30.8
million.
President Al-Bashir
applauds Malaria Control Programme in Sudan
Sudan
celebrated the World Malaria Day this year with pride for its
Malaria Control Programme’s successful effort to remarkably reduce
the number of cases over the last 10 years - from more than 4
million malaria cases in the year 2000 to less than 1 million
malaria cases in 2010. Between 2001 and 2010, the number of deaths
due to malaria has significantly reduced to 75%.
Sudan President Omar al-Bashir
highlighted that success reflected the level of good planning,
implementation and follow-up, and the strong commitment from the Government
and health partners.
President al-Bashir graced the
occasion of the World Malaria Day in Sudan on 24 April 2011. The high level
celebration was also attended by the Minister of Health, Governors from
different states, representatives from the Embassies, Donor Agencies, UN
agencies and NGO community.
During his speech, President
al-Bashir ordered authorities at the Customs and Taxes to remove duties and
charges on inputs related to malaria control. The President also directed
the Ministry of Information to broadcast free of charge all health education
programmes for malaria control in the Federal and State mass media.
The World Health
Organization’s (WHO) Representative in Sudan Dr Anshu Banerjee emphasized
UN’s commitment to support the Government of Sudan in their efforts to
control malaria and to protect the health of the Sudanese people,
particularly the children and pregnant women. Dr Anshu added, “This support
is not limited to malaria control but all interventions that will enable the
government to reach the Millennium Development Goals such as immunization,
safe deliveries, and other prevention activities.”
As mentioned in the Millennium
Development Goal Progress Report of 2010, the success of the malaria
programme in Sudan has been achieved through:
-
ensuring the uninterrupted
availability of free diagnosis and free treatment with artemisinin based
combination therapy in more than 4,300 health facilities;
-
the distribution of long
lasting insecticide treated bednets. In fact the percentage of
households with at least one Insecticide Treated Net (ITNs) has
increased from 21% in 2005 to more than 41% in 2009;
-
the establishment of the
Blue Nile Institute in Gezeira State that provides Masters Courses in
Entomology and Vector Control not only for Sudan but also for
professionals from the region;
-
Integrated Vector
Management; and by strengthening the capacity of the malaria control
staff.
The
President Statement, in the event of World Malaria Day celebration
Remarks by the WHO Representative, Dr Anshu Banerjee, on behalf of the UN Agencies on the occasion of World Malaria Day, 24 April 2011, Friendship Hall, Khartoum.
Health Cluster preparedness for returnees to Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal
State in southern Sudan
Over the past three months, approximately 50 000 southern Sudanese returned to Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State. As an estimated 70% have decided to stay around the urban areas of Aweil, the state capital, and other county capitals, there is a need to ensure that basic services are provided. More returnees are expected to arrive in the coming months which will increase the need to scale up the provision of services.
The returnees are
among the southern Sudanese who have started going back to their
home counties from various parts of northern Sudan. Aweil’s
returnees are among the 143 000 (source: Office for the
Commission of Humanitarian Affairs 7 January 2011) estimated
returnee population who are currently settled across the 10
states of southern Sudan. The southern Sudan referendum for
self-determination was conducted from 9 to 15 January 2011.
Results are expected to be released in the first week of
February with preliminary results supporting secession of
southern Sudan.
Preparedness by
the Health Cluster
A joint team from
the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO)
led by the Government of southern Sudan’s Undersecretary of the
Ministry of Health, Dr Olivia Lomoro, and WHO Representative in
Sudan, Dr Anshu Banerjee, visited Aweil on 13 January 2011 to
assess the health situation in returnees’ settlements. One of
the camps visited was Apada camp, which accommodates
approximately 8000 returnees.
Prepositioning of
supplies
In the Aweil State
Ministry of Health, WHO prepositioned three emergency health
kits providing coverage for 30 000 population for three months,
two cholera kits, three surgical kits, medical drugs and
consumables and measles vaccines to cover the measles campaign
in the next four months.
Prevention of
outbreaks
Vaccination
campaigns are ongoing in settlements and communicable disease
surveillance has also been activated in communities and
internally displaced persons settlements.
Provision of
basic primary health care services
The State Ministry
of Health, supported by WHO, is leading the coordination for
provision of health services and supplies with partners
including Médecins Sans Frontières-F, International Red Cross,
Concern, International Organization for Migration and UNICEF.
The state hospital has created additional capacity to admit an
influx of patients in case of mass casualties resulting from
incidents of violence during the Referendum.
Challenges
Aweil, like other
parts of southern Sudan, is experiencing health service delivery
gaps at the primary and secondary levels due to a lack in human
resources, distribution and management of medicines, medical
equipment and supplies and inadequate infrastructure of health
facilities. The lack of human resources was discussed in a
meeting with the Government of southern Sudan’s Minister of
Health, Dr Luka Monoja, who requested WHO support in the
development of training institutions and curricula in order to
scale up the human resource capacity in the Ministry of Health.
This will also be an integral part of the National Strategic
Health Development Plan which will focus on strengthening
leadership and governance in the health sector and improving
southern Sudan’s health service delivery.
Sudan welcomes new
WHO Representative
Dr Anshu Banerjee was
appointed as the new WHO Representative in Sudan effective 24
November 2010.
Dr
Banerjee joined WHO in 1999 and has served in various capacities in
several countries, including Myanmar, India, Indonesia. Before his
appointment to Sudan, he was the WHO Representative in Albania.
A public health
physician by training, Dr Banerjee has over 20 years of progressive
experience in surveillance and field epidemiology; strategy, policy
and planning of health service delivery in normative and complex
emergency settings; and in health cluster coordination.
Dr Banerjee replaced
Dr Mohammad Abdurrab who has been reassigned to the Eastern
Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO).
First field visit
During his first week
in Sudan, Dr Banerjee with Dr Abdurrab visited Wad Madani in Gezira
State. After a courtesy call with the Governor of the Gezira State (Wali)
Elziber Basheir Taha, Dr Banerjee visited the Blue Nile National
Institute for Communicable Diseases where he was presented on how
the institute operates and was briefed on the assistance of WHO to
the institute.
Dr Banerjee’s background
Dr Banerjee holds a PhD in Tuberculosis
Control from University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and a
Masters in Public Health for Developing Countries from the London
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Before joining WHO, Dr Banerjee was the
Country/Medical Coordinator for MSF Holland between 1989 and 1993.
He worked from 1993 till 1998 as the District Health Officer in
Ntcheu district in Malawi and was simultaneously a member of the
Programme Management Team of National TB Programme as part of a
secondment by the Dutch Directorate General for International
Cooperation of the Ministry of External Affairs.
Dr Banerjee worked as Surveillance Officer
for the Immunization Programme in SEARO between 1999 and 2000. He
then joined DFID UK in India from 2000 to 2003 to return to WHO as a
Medical Officer for EPI in WHO Myanmar from 2003 until 2005. In
2005, he was assigned to lead the WHO Banda Aceh office in its
response to the tsunami relief operations for rehabilitation and
reconstruction of the health system. In 2006 and 2007 he worked as a
Senior Programme Officer for the GAVI Alliance and was responsible
for monitoring programme implementation in the 76 GAVI supported
countries and was a member of the Health Systems Task Team.
From January 2008 until November 2010, he
was the WHO Representative in Albania.
Unplanned urbanization: a challenge for public health
6 June 2010 -
On the occasion of the World Health Day this year, the World Health
Organization (WHO) in Sudan in collaboration with the Federal
Ministry of Governance (FMoG) and Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH)
and health partners calls upon local authorities, advocates for
healthy living, and concerned residents to look into the health
inequities in cities and take urgent actions.
The urban health
campaign in Sudan is launched today, 6 June, through a ceremonial
gathering of national and local government officials and health
sector partners at Burj Al-fateh in Khartoum. During the launching
event, sixteen (16) cities and localities in Sudan receive
certificates of recognition for their commitment to prioritize
health concerns in planning development for cities and localities
and to ensure healthy living condition for the local populace.
“Continued population
growth in cities and the localities in Sudan will have damaging
consequences for human health, particularly for the poor, unless
urgent steps are taken to tackle health risks for people who live in
cities”, underscored Dr Mohamed Abdurrab, WHO Representative in
Sudan, whose message was read by WHO Sudan Officer-in-charge Dr
Salah Haithami.
“Aside from raising
awareness and public understanding of this year’s theme, we are
seeking high level political commitment, encourage inter-sectoral
partnerships and community involvement in order to promote health in
urban policy-making,” Dr Abdurrab added in his message.
Many cities and
localities in Sudan face a triple threat: infectious disease which
thrive when people are crowded; chronic, non-communicable diseases
including diabetes, cancers and heart disease which are on the rise
with unhealthy lifestyles including tobacco use, unhealthy diets,
physical inactivity; and urban health is often further burdened by
road traffic accidents, injuries, violence and crime.
The Undersecretary for
the Federal Minister of Governance Mr Salaheldeen Babiker Mohamed El
Amin said health risks will definitely rise if insufficient
attention is paid to planning and implementation of healthy urban
practices and infrastructure. He added, “I am urging all local
authorities to act collectively in promoting health friendly
cities.”
“Unplanned urban
growth can aggravate diseases, including water-borne and food-borne
diseases”, emphasized Dr Eltayeb Ahmed El Sayed, Director General of
Public Health and Emergency of the Federal Ministry of Health.
“Maybe the dynamic growth of cities can boost the economy of poor
countries but unplanned growth can lead to damaging health
consequences,” Dr Eltayeb added.
Based on a WHO
technical report on health and urbanization published in 2009, there
is an evidence of stigma in major cities in the Eastern
Mediterranean Region attaching to slum dwellers with no official
address and who are not able to obtain birth certificates, attend
government schools or access other entitlements.
The report also
highlights the major public health issues in cities which cause high
morbidity and mortality rates, including diarrhoea, acute
respiratory infections, vaccine-preventable diseases, malaria and
malnutrition. In addition, restricted access to quality services and
care increases the risks of maternal morbidity and mortality.
Furthermore, the report underscores the increasing number of
sexually transmitted diseases.
As partners of health
and development, 30 national media members participated in the media
workshop conducted by FMoH and WHO on 2 June. It aimed to clarify
issues on urbanization and health among media members in preparation
for the celebration of World Health Day campaign in Sudan.
On 12 June, the Run
for Health marathon will highlight this year’s World Health Day
celebration. Hundreds of students, out of school youth,
representatives from different organizations will participate in the
event. The marathon will be followed by an exhibit of urban health
advocacy materials in the premises of FMoH along Nile Avenue in
Khartoum.
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Primarily, the vaccination week aims
to solicit support through partnership with a wide range of
organizations. It also focuses to promote Government’s commitment of
immunization and informs communities about the importance of
immunization particularly on those areas tagged as ‘risk areas.’
The Vaccination Week which was
launched on 24 April at the Rotana Hotel in Khartoum brought together
the private sector including the medical companies, medical
professionals, media members and officials from the Federal Ministry of
Health (FMoH).
“Let us use the first Vaccination Week
in the Eastern Mediterranean Region as an opportunity to revive
political commitment and increase public awareness on the importance of
immunization.” Dr Hussein A. Gezairy, Regional Director for the Eastern
Mediterranean of the World Health Organization (WHO), emphasized in his
message which was read by Dr Haithami Salah, WHO Sudan’s Polio Team
Leader, during the ceremony.
“It is our commitment to continue our
collaboration with organizations and with the civil society to ensure
success in our endeavour to vaccinate every child in our country.” Dr
Kamal Gadir, FMoH’s Undersecretary underscored in his speech which
opened the one-week celebration of the Vaccination Week.
Pediatricians and other medical
professionals in Khartoum gathered for a Child Forum and the
introduction of new vaccines on the 2nd day of the
Vaccination Week.
On 26 April, the Federal Ministry of
Health with the Ministry of Information signed a partnership agreement
with the pillars of different media entities – including print,
television, radio, and the academe – the agreement uplifts the status
of immunization campaigns as top priority for coverage and airtime
availability.
In Sudan, the celebration
continues until the end of April. On 27 and 28 April, FMoH’s Expanded
Programme on Immunization (EPI) launched its partnership with the
private sector and local government in White Nile state including the
Boys Scouts, Sudan Red Crescent, National Military Service and Student
Activities Secretariat.
A fund raising activity will be held
on 29 April and the Society of Immunization Programme Friends will be
launched during the event.
Vaccination weeks are conducted
successfully in the Americas and Europe. In the Eastern Mediterranean
Region, this initiative has been made possible by the strong commitment
from the countries to raise awareness, increase vaccine utilization,
mobilize resources and secure strong political support for immunization
services.
On April 7, a convoy of 15 WHO and Federal Ministry
Of Health cars departed from WHO premises in Ousman Digna Street in
Khartoum towards the celebration venue in Friendship Hall. All cars had
banners in Arabic and English with World Health Day (WHD) main messages
such as: “Safe hospitals, save lives’… A traditional folklore band
headed the convoy with Sudanese music and upon arrival to Friendship
Hall, the band performed traditional North Darfurian dance.
The celebration contained speeches from: WHO
representative Dr. Abdur Rab, Regional Director message Dr. Husein
Jazairi, Minister of Health Dr. Tabita Boutros Shokay, Unicef Head of
Health and Nutrition department Dr. Fahmi Bayoumi and
World Food Program Representative Mr. Kenro
Ochidari who delivered a speech on behalf of the United Nations
Humanitarian Coordinator Ms. Ameera Haq.
During the celebration, Ahfad University coral
performed a song in Arabic that has been produced specifically for World
Health Day in Sudan.
At the end of the celebration, the WR/FMOH opened a
WHD exhibit that contained pictures of health facilities in emergencies
and WHO related activities. In addition, 2 Architecture Students
presented their graduation project which consisted of a Hospital
building.
For the first time, Sudan together
with all member states in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, participated
in the celebration of Vaccination Week from 24 to 30 April 2010.
Various activities were conducted to strengthen partnership of the
Federal Ministry of Health with various sectors in the society including
the private sector, the pediatric society, the media members, government
agencies and civil society organizations.
Sudan
Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) installed a thermal scanner in the
Arrival Hall of Khartoum International Airport to monitor each
passenger’s body temperature as a preventive measure to detect possible
H1N1 Influenza cases. 
WHO
country office in Sudan celebrated the World Health Day 2009 under the
global theme “Save lives. Make hospitals safe in emergencies”. On April
6, one day prior to the celebration, a press conference was held in
Sudan News Agency where WHO Representative Dr. Mohamad Abdur Rab and
Sudan Federal Minister of Health Dr. Tabitta Boutrous Shokay explained
this year’s theme and stressed on the need to make hospitals safe in
Sudan.