Health Sector Quarterly Bulletin Sudan Health Issue No. 1 April 2015 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Health Sector response to Measles outbreak Setting up of National Health Emergency Call Center (ECC) Health with a difference : Positively impacting the environment 1 2 6 Health Sector response to Measles As of 19 April, 3539 suspected measles cases (with 2015 confirmed) have been reported from 32 localities in 14 states of Sudan including 25 deaths. (CFR: 1.2%) The High Level Committee and Health Sector Measles Outbreak Response and Containment Coordination meetings are held weekly under the leadership of MOH/WHO in Khartoum. The Health Sector coordination meetings to assess the response and address the gap are also held regular in affected states. The initial localized response immunization campaign was conducted from 19-23 January in 11 localities of Gedaref and Kassala with 95 % and 97% coverage respectively. With MSF-E support localized vaccination campaign was conducted in Elseref locality of North Darfur from 25 March for 10 days. The Response vaccination campaign started on 22 April 2015 in 28 first priority high risk localities of six states as shown in the map. WHO, UNICEF, NGOs and MSFs are supporting state ministries with drugs and medical supplies for measles case management, surveillance including daily reporting, active case finding and health education campaigns. UNICEF procured the required vaccine. Health Sector envelope from CHF standard allocation stands at US$ 3,489,000 The Programmatic Review Group reviewed 22 submitted Concept Notes based on guidelines set out in the GMS and recommended 13 concept notes /NGOs for full proposal development and CHF 1st Standard Allocation. Among the agencies recommended are seven INGOs, five NNGOs and one UN agency. 09 NGOs could not get funds from CHF 1st Standard Allocation, therefore the delivery of health humanitarian assistance by national NGOs may be disrupted. The total Health Sector requirement for 2015 is US$ 65 million and it is only 8% funded excluding the CHF. Some national NGOs are facing huge challenge to secure resources and it will affect delivery of health services. 1
Ebola preparedness training workshop in Khartoum WHO Sudan in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region office and HQ organized the first sub-regional Ebola outbreak preparedness training between 15-to 19 March 2015 in Khartoum. A total of 42 participants from multi-disciplinary areas, with 35 from the Sudan Federal and State Ministries of Health, including epidemiologists, emergency specialists, public health, laboratory technicians and nurses, and seven participants from Yemen Ministry of Health. The training of the countries Rapid response Teams to pandemics and outbreaks of emerging diseases (Including Ebola Virus Disease) included one and a half day of lectures, group discussions and exercises, and two and a half days of practical application and simulation in the field of risk assessment and alert investigation, infection prevention and control, surveillance, contact tracing, collection and transport of samples, community engagement and risk communication, and safe burial. Half day was used discussions on learning and knowledge transfer, suggestion for the improvement of the training module and agreement on the next steps. His Excellency the Federal Minister of Health and WHO Country Representative addressing the participants Hands on training for Rapid Response teams Setting up of National Health Emergency Call Center (ECC) by FMoH Emergency and Humanitarian Action and Epidemic Response Directorate at Federal Ministry of Health is almost in the final stages to have a functioning Emergency Call Center (ECC) to be coordinated by EHA Directorate at FMOH. This facility will be the site for the Health Sector Emergency Operation Center too. It has video conferencing facility and connectivity with the States beside Hot Line access to the population--- (get the number ). The ECC will handle both acute and large scale emergencies with the capacity to provide risk communication messages to the public including public health messages. ECC is expected to handle a considerable volume of calls at the same time, to screen calls and forward them to the identified qualified technical staff where the call to be handled and logged. For every telephone call received, the assigned technical team determine the nature of the emergency and the location of the caller, and then assists in the dispatch of appropriate emergency services with a smooth coordination with the related partners in FMOH and the health sector. The Health ECC also is planned to assist the FMOH providing coordinated customized timely information to the public through voice calls, SMSs and social media. Such continued engagement is enhance the community s participation and preparedness for emergencies and solicit their support in response. The ECC staff have been trained to address and resolve most frequent public health emergency calls and are going to be monitored of quality responses including referrals. 2
WHO and health partners continues support to save lives in Sudan Support for measles outbreak control WHO jointly with MOH and health partners had conducted 48 alert verification missions in the affected states that enabled the confirmation of the measles outbreak. White Nile, Kassala and Red Sea sufficient for one additional month have been prepositioned. Health awareness campaign supported in Kalma and Kass camps covering more than 4000 people. WHO has supported training of more than 200 health professional on case management in Kassala, Red Sea, West and North Darfur, ensured minor rehabilitation and provision of equipment for the establishment of isolation centre in West Darfur and donated medical supplies for measles case management (2 DDK, 10 IEHK, 20 RRK, iv fluids, and antibiotics) in West, North, and Central Darfur, Kassala and Gedaref. In addition medical supplies necessary for casemanagement in all affected Darfur states, South Kordofan, Provision of emergency health care for people in need Blue Nile: The gap of medicines availability identified during the inter-sector assessment of the new displacement in Buleng, Azaza, and Al Gari, Gamberda and Diglog, has been addressed by donating 5 RRK kits to Pancare to cover 10,000 population for 3 month, and IV fluids and medical supplies for the referral hospital. Eastern states: WHO has completed the rehabilitation of 7 Therapeutic Feeding Centers in Red Sea State and provide operational support to Talaweet, national NGO for the functioning of 14 health facilities rural Kassala; 21000 consultations conducted during reporting period. South Darfur:. WHO directly supported with operational cost and medicines the delivery of PHCC services for more than 339,000 IDPs and host communities in Kalma, Ottash, Dereige, Al Salam through ARC, SRCS, NIDO and Mubadiroon. 60 RRK, and 38 IEHK distributed, and 120 (68 female) health staff trained. East Darfur: WHO had supported the PHC services in Labado and Mujaheria and the repair of the Addilla and Eddain hospital is in the stage of detailed planning. North Darfur: WHO provided urgent support to Seeker, ANHAR, HAD and ministry of health for the health coverage of the newly displaced in Tawilla, Zamzam, Mallet, and El Sayahn. WHO supported 2 mobile clinics in Tawilla, operation of 5 PHC clinics in Shagra, Golo, Korma, Zamzam, and Mallet, with more than 86,941 consultation reported (45.7% children less than 5, and 51 % female). A total of 6,839 (7.9% of total consultations) critically ill cases were referred. WHO has donated medicines & supplies to cover the needs of 160,000 beneficiaries.. Together with MOH, WHO distributed 40,000 posters around Tawilla locality, and 100 community health promoters have been trained on hygiene/sanitation and health promotion. White Nile: WHO provided medicines and operational support to 3 partners and 6 clinics with around 50,000 consultations conducted; main morbidities, ARI, Malaria and Diarrhea. 3
UNFPA Support Fistula Centre and Midwifery School in West Darfur UNFPA has supported the rehabilitation of the Fistula Center in ElGeneina teaching hospital by adding a fistula ward, renovating the operation room-latrines and replacing some windows. The organization has supported the midwifery school with ten training models and participated in the graduation ceremony of batch 15 of village midwives to raise the midwife coverage in the state to 42%. UNFPA has sponsored 30 of the graduated midwives. UNICEF support training of Skilled Birth Attendants (SBA) UNICEF in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health continues to support the pre-service training of Skilled Birth Attendants. 233 Midwifery Students from South and East Darfur States have completed the second term of the curriculum in Omdurman and Khartoum North Midwifery Schools. This group will be graduated as Community Midwives in July 2015, and expected to contribute to the improvement of Maternal and Child health in Darfur. A new group of 200 selected midwives from North, West and Central Darfur States are expected to start basic midwifery training in April 2015. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is treatable Musa Khater Mohamed is a 12 month old baby and his mother is Manahel Adam. They live in Krenik IDP camp. During a routine home visit from one of Save the Children (SC) Community Health Workers (CHW), he found that Musa was suffering from a wound in his abdomen and left thigh. This had been left untreated for 3 months and no medical advice had been sought. The wounds had been diagnosed by the parent as spider bites and had been treated through tradition methods with tree roots. However, there was no response to this treatment and the wound became more inflamed and Musa started to suffer from a fever. The SC community health promoter advised Manahel to take her baby to the hospital and gave her a referral to be seen by medical staff. Manahel went to the hospital with Musa and was seen by a SC Medical Doctor. The Doctor performed a clinical examination and laboratory investigation and diagnosed Musa with a chronic infected wound, cutaneous leshmaniasis Musa was admitted to the pediatric ward and received dressing for the wound and was provided with antibiotics and analgesic. The wound became clean and Musa was discharged in good condition with an oral antibiotic for follow up. Musa s mother continued to follow up and care for Musa until he was fully recovered 4
Health Education has an impact on families It was a big surprise for her! Fatima Mohamemd (24), a mother 4 kids and resident at Hay Kass in South Darfur was visited at her house by the health education campaigners last week. The busy housewife expressed her excitement that she is so happy now to know many useful tips that can save lives of her kids. As she mentioned it was the very first time to be visited by a health educator. The message delivered printed such an impression in her mind that she said: I never got the chance to hear such valuable health message relating to the health and well- being of my kids; I will not forget the message and I promise to follow the guidance to protect health of my kids. The mother also assured the campaigners that she will disseminate the health message to her community. This happened in the context of Measles Outbreak response, when health education campaign at Kass locality in South Darfur was conducted from 24th to 26th March 2015 in collaboration with WHO and Health Promotion Department of State Ministry of Health. Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) is implementing a health project funded by SDC which was designed to improve basic primary health care and WASH services for 42,875 conflict affected populations and build the capacity of health team to deliver quality services in Nertiti area of Central Darfur State. Hawa Arbab used to live in a village located around Kabkabyah area before Darfur conflict broke in 2003; and that area has no education and health services like what they have in the camp now. IRW monitoring team met Hawa Arbab on Sunday 29th of March 2015 while visiting the PHC clinic to medicate her 9 months old child Omran who was seriously having fever for six days period. Hawa s son got treated and she was also met with the midwife in the clinic who provided her with ANC services free of charge. Hawa is very pleased with the PHC services provided to them by IRW and the donors SDC and she is sending the following messages to them. I want to send a lot of thanks to IRW and donors who provided us with integrated health, WASH and education facilities and we wish they will continue providing us these services till peace prevails in our areas and we go back home to our normal live. So thanks and thanks again and again for all who assisted and provided all these services to us 5
HEALTH WITH A DIFFERENCE: POSITIVELY IMPACTING OUR ENVIRONMENT A team of World Vision Sudan health staff under the auspices of )تأمين Club- Tameen Al mostagbal hasالمستقبل( gone an extra mile to invest time and resources to plant trees at the Primary Health Care centers where they work. The staff has committed to go beyond the call of duty and plant a total of 200 trees within a period of two years. By this quarter, the club had managed to reach 50% of the target they set when the club was launched in May 2014. In Blue Nile state, World Vision staff in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Pan Health Care a national health NGO have planted 70 trees at six Primary Health Care centers. In South Darfur state, the club members have planted 27 trees bringing the total in both states to 97 trees planted in 10 primary health care centers in one year. The species that have been planted include fruit and shade trees such as mango, guava, brazilia, lime, neem, willows (dignabasha), fiscus (figis) and mahogany. I believe planting trees is an act of worship and charity, says Nour Eldin a medical assistant at Manawashi Primary Health Care clinic in Mershing locality of South Darfur state. Manawashi clinic is under World Vision management funded by USAID and World Vision US to provide lifesaving essential health care to communities. Ordinarily, this would be beyond my job description, however, working with World Vision, has encouraged me to plant trees at my work station. As Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed, World Vision health Supervisor in Blue Nile Program says the planting of trees will contribute significantly to securing the health of Sudanese children in the future. This is in addition to appropriate awareness raising, medical waste management, solid waste management, use of fuel efficient cooking techniques and use of Stabilized Soil Bricks for clinic construction. World Vision Sudan remains committed to step up the environmental marker by integrating environment into humanitarian programming; working with communities to improve outcomes, create multiple benefits but more so to save the future for generations to come. In 2015, World Vision health staff pledge to plant 103 trees at the various Primary Health Care centres. We shall also encourage communities that we work with including children to plant trees at the household level. Sudan Health Sector Somia I. Okued EHA Director FMOH somiaokoued@gmail.com Dr. Jamshed Tanoli Health Sector Coordinator tanolij@who.int Secretariat sudanhealth@sud.emro.who.int 6