Khartoum hosts the 1st Scientific Conference of Schistosomiasis Eradication Project

Khartoum:Haffiya Elyas

The Federal Ministry of Health and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), organized the first scientific conference to eliminate schistosomiasis along rivers in Sudan which was held yesterday at the Abdul Hamid Ibrahim Medical Supply Center

The project is a continuation of efforts to combat schistosomiasis and other neglected tropical diseases.

The Director of the General Administration of Basic Health Care, Dr. Dalia Idris, stressed the Ministry’s commitment to combat schistosomiasis in cooperation with partners, pointing out that Sudan faces a great challenges in financing the implementation of interventions to eliminate schistosomiasis.

The project is supporting by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) costs US$7 million . The Project was launched in 2020 to reduce the prevalence of the disease in the targeted states to less than 1% through integrated interventions based on a community-empowerment approach and through the implementation of free group therapy campaigns. This project is a continuation of the previous project called schistosomiasis between Sudan and Korea and (SOKO Project) which was implemented over the course of Project SOCO) which has been implemented over the past ten years and has reduced the prevalence of the disease from 29% to 5%, hoping that the objective of the project will be achieved and validate the terms of reference of the Advisory Committee of the Schistosomiasis Eradication Project Network with the formulation of an action plan to revitalize the implementation of the project and expand the network of schistosomiasis initiatives at the local and regional levels, based on strong partnership and discussions on progress, addressing some of the existing challenges, and reviewing additional options supported by mutual accountability. and commitment to WHO and also achieve the goals set for the NTD National Strategic Plan in Sudan.

Dalia hoped that the companies would extend to strengthening the health system in Sudan, thanking the Korea International Cooperation Agency.

Dalia explained that Sudan faces problems in the health sector that require hard work, noting that the first scientific conference was attended by national and international experts and researchers in the field of combating neglected tropical diseases in general and schistosomiasis in particular, which aims to enrich knowledge and exchange practical experiences in the field of combating schistosomiasis.

Dalia pointed to the launch of the advisory network in 2022 under the chairmanship of the Federal Minister of Health with the aim of enhancing coordination and doubling efforts to benefit from resources.

For his part, the Director of the Neglected Tropical Diseases Program at the Ministry, Dr. Ahmed Muhammad Abdullah, indicated that the project targets 6 states (Khartoum, Al-Jazeera, White Nile, Blue Nile, North Kordofan, Kassala), which began since 2009 _ 2019 in the White Nile State and then included the rest of the five states by the end of 2024 AD, pointing to the participation of scientists, researchers, bodies, organizations and associations from inside and outside Sudan in the conference for the purpose of discussion, reflection and exchange of scientific experiences, pointing out that the project is in line with WHO Roadmap.

The project manager, Professor Chiah, said that the organization KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency of South Korea) began supporting schistosomiasis in Sudan since 2009 and is currently concentrated in six states at an estimated cost of $ 15 million.