Delegation visits EU-funded projects in eastern Sudan

On 5 December, the Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Sudan, Jean-Michel Dumond, visited cooperation projects funded by the European Union, which support agriculture, livelihoods, fisheries, education and health in Sudan’s Red Sea State.

According to a statement issued by Ambassador Dumond’s delegation today, the visit also included health projects carried-out by the Italian Cooperation, in particular: “Promoting Qualitative Health Services” and “Improve the Health Status of Vulnerable Population" implemented across three states in eastern Sudan.

With a total budget of €13.1 million, both health programmes aim to further extend the universal right to health. This has been done by improving access to health care for people living in the rural areas, developing the local health administration and supporting the national health policies. In addition, health facilities have been rehabilitated and constructed, health staff trained and drugs distribution in the communities strengthened.

In Port Sudan, Ambassador Dumond met with the Minister of Health in Red Sea State, Hatim Mohammed Aliass and visited two health centres, Omar Ibn Khatab and Ahmed Gasim as well as the Maternal Pediatric Tagadom Hospital. All facilities have been rehabilitated and equipped with funding from the European Union. Fully operational, they now provide quality health care to 110,000 people, in three different areas of Port Sudan, where also a considerable number of migrants and Internally Displaced Persons live.

“In addition to providing much needed health care to people in need, these large projects support local and state health administration by creating successful models that should be replicated across the Red Sea State and all over Sudan…”

Ambassador Dumond remarked: “In addition to providing much needed health care to people in need, these large projects support local and state health administration by creating successful models that should be replicated across the Red Sea State and all over Sudan. Additional funding and enhanced planning at State and Federal level are essential to ensure that more people in Red Sea State can benefit from access to quality healthcare.”

The interventions started in 2014 and 2015 and are an example of a successful cooperation between the European Union and Italy. Dr Paolo Giambelli, Head of the European Health Programmes with the Italian Cooperation, confirmed:  “We have been working to strengthen the health system at locality and state level. A joint and strong collaboration and integration with Sudanese people and Institutions helped us to achieve the results."

“When the European Union and the Italian Cooperation came here for the first time to start to work with us, it was kind of a dream. Today we can say it is a reality that makes us proud and allows us to do our job and provide health service to the people.”

At Tagadom Hospital, the Director, Dr Ahmed Darreer, expressed his deep gratitude to the European Union and to the Italian Cooperation: “When the European Union and the Italian Cooperation came here for the first time to start to work with us, it was kind of a dream. Today we can say it is a reality that makes us proud and allows us to do our job and provide health service to the people,” Dr Darreer concluded..