Series of Successful Seminars on Essential Drugs in Darfur
Three successful seminars on the new Sudan National List of Essential Drugs were held in El Geneina, Nyala and El Fasher. Almost 100 pharmacists, top clinicians, general practitioners, medical doctors, and medical assistants attended the seminar that was facilitated by WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health. In the two-day seminar, the participants were familiarized with the contents of Sudan National List of Essential Drugs, specifically in order to fully grasp the various therapeutic groups in the List and to know the various levels of health care the drugs/ consumables to be used.
In the end, this should have a favorable cost benefit ratio in terms of the total cost of treatment.
Far reaching recommendations include:
(a) due to peculiar infrastructural problems in Darfur states, necessary drugs for life-threatening situations should be stocked at Primary Health Care level; and the staff at the facilities trained to administer the drugs. (b) The need for the establishment of Drug Information Centres in either the SMOH or WHO sub-offices which will have necessary literature on drug uses and its adverse effects. (c) Necessary drugs for life-threatening situations and drugs for other specific programmes should be made available at all levels provided the staff at such levels are properly trained in their administration.
Secondary Health Care Facilities in Darfur on CD Rom and Website
A recompilation of all relevant material on the rehabilitation of secondary health care facilities in Darfur, during and after the emerging crisis that started at the end of 2003 is now available online and on CD ROM.
Besides a narrative description of the situation and the activities implemented by the World Health Organization in Sudan and partners, there is many photos, maps and reference documents that give an in-depth view of the experience in Darfur.
Meningitis vaccination campaigns
During a meningitis vaccination campaign by WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health, in close collaboration with Unicef, WFP, MSF Belgium and MSF Switzerland and Oxfam, in Saraf Omra, North Darfur, 23,529 persons were vaccinated between 2 and 29 years of age, representing coverage of 84.9 % of the targeted population. Of the rural areas surrounding Saraf Omra, 10,253 persons were vaccinated, representing 93.7% coverage.
In February, the Ministry of Health implemented a vaccination campaign in response to an outbreak of Neisse-ria meningitides type A in Bakori, Blue Nile State. MSF France carried out an evaluation of the surveillance system and supported case management in the peripheries. During the vaccination campaign in Blue Nile State, 314,668 persons were vaccinated. In the period after the vaccination, a large decline in cases was observed.
(pdf* format - 479 KB)