Port Sudan — Acting Federal Minister of Health, Dr. Haitham Muhammad Ibrahim, said that Sudan is continuing to strengthen its partnership with UNICEF in order to achieve the joint health goals, referring to the importance of the UNICEF effective cooperation and its role in supporting efforts aiming at advancing the health sector and its sustainability at various levels, particularly through joint efforts to combat diseases and epidemics and the importance of continuing vaccination for children in a way that preserves human health and protects community safety.
This came during his meeting at the quarantine hall in Port Sudan on Tuesday afternoon, with the Executive Director of UNICEF, Dr. Catherine Russell and her accompanying delegation, on the occasion of her visit to Sudan within the framework of close cooperation relations between the two sides, which mainly aims to enhance ways of integration, achieve the desired goals, and follow up on joint health projects.
The Minister praised the pivotal role played by the UNICEF office in Sudan in supporting the health system and cooperating in the field of following up on the most prominent priority health issues and policies.
The minister said that the visit is an extension of UNICEF's support for Sudan, which came as a culmination of the distinguished relations and aspects of joint coordination and cooperation over many decades, adding that the organization's support is not limited to only financial and technical support, but also extends to mobilizing the efforts of other international organizations to finance Sudan's activities, pointing out to the presentation of an offer to the health system in Sudan before and after the war, stressing that the health system was able to absorb several shocks and restore the continuity of providing health services during the war with the virtue of the medical personnel's efforts.
Acting Federal Minister of Health indicated that they have been working with the partners in accordance with the health priorities, pointing to the speed of response from the states' emergency rooms and working to combat epidemics, praising the role of UNICEF in providing the vaccines that were distributed to all states.
The minister said that the experience of aerial drops of medical supplies to the states of Darfur was one of the most successful experiences, pointing to the challenges facing the health sector, the most important of which is the delivery of medical supplies to all states, particularly those affected by the ongoing war, calling for the need to increase interventions.
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The Minister pointed out to the great support and attention that the health sector receives from the Government of Sudan, for its belief that human health comes first and at the top of priorities, which has contributed to achieving a series of pioneering achievements in this sector and at various levels, in line with development aspirations and goals and comprehensive health coverage.
For her part, the Executive Director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, praised the efforts of the health system in Sudan, and the prominent and distinguished role it plays in achieving the desired health goals and joint endeavors, praising the resilience of the Ministry's health system and the exceptional efforts it provided during the previous period, which is considered a distinguished model to be emulated at the regional and international levels in the field of implementing proactive plans and implementing preventive measures to preserve the health of citizens, with a high level of professionalism, and in a way that highlights the success of the visions and orientations pursued by the Ministry of Health in Sudan with all efficiency and ability, hoping that the visit will achieve the desired goals.
Catherine affirmed the continuous support of UNICEF, pointing out that Sudan deserves support and celebration for achieving many successes in light of the many challenges the health sector faced during the war period.
