EU, Italy launch health programme in eastern Sudan

The National Museum of Sudan in Khartoum hosted the launch ceremony of the new health services programme in eastern Sudan today. The programme, “Promoting Qualitative Health Services in Eastern Sudan,” is funded by the European Union and will be implemented by the Italian Development Cooperation – Embassy of Italy.  The event was attended by Assistant of the President, Musa Mohamed Ahmed, diplomats and hundreds of Sudanese guests related to health services in Sudan, according to a joint statement of the Delegation of the European Union to Sudan and the Embassy of Italy-Italian Cooperation issued today. The main goal of the EU-Italian project is to increase the access and improve quality of health care for the most vulnerable communities and improve efficiency of health system in Eastern Sudan. The new project amounts to 12,8 million Euros, totally funded by the EU, and will be implemented by the Italian Cooperation in Kassala, Gedaref, and the Red Sea States until 2016. Thousands of health staff and front line providers will be trained in collaboration with Academies of Health Science, with the aim of an increased capacity of the staff in the Health Ministries of the eastern Sudanese States, and other local health authorities. A number of health facilities will be built to broaden the infrastructures of health care. At the same time the project will work on an increase of medicines availability through improving the procurement and delivery processes to eastern Sudan. In addition, an emergency care system will be developed at both the localities and the States level.  The project was signed in November 2013 during a visit of the European Ambassadors to eastern Sudan in a ceremony attended by Musa Mohamed Ahmed, and the Governors of Gedaref and Kassala States. The programme will be run in close coordination with the Federal Ministry of Health, the State Ministries of Health, and local government in each locality, and will also promote community health awareness, support health education, and strengthen the health information systems. EU Parliament Delegation Two members of the European Parliament’s (MEPs) Development Committee ended a three days visit to Sudan on 27 March. The visiting delegation met with their counterparts at the National Assembly, Sudanese officials, human rights activists, representatives of local NGOs and international humanitarian, development and financial agencies in Sudan. The delegation noted with concern the obstacles faced by the international organisations and civil society in Sudan regarding humanitarian access, including suspension of activities, and expressed the desire that these can be overcome in the near future. They also called on all the relevant authorities to strengthen the respect for human rights and media freedoms, an EU press release issued today stated. During discussions, the members of the European Parliament recognised common interest in development and in particular in the eradication of poverty and malnutrition, as well as opportunities and challenges in the areas of migration and pastoralism. Gender issues were recognised as a cross-cutting issue in the many areas of co-operation. They underlined the significance of EU development cooperation with 93 million Euros allocated to Sudan between 2011 and 2013. File photo: Health care training in Kassala State (EU) Related:European Parliament delegation to visit Sudan (24 March 2014) EU delegation pledges €80 million for Sudan’s eastern states (10 November 2013)