Port Sudan — More than 20 tonnes of essential medicines, diagnostics, valued at just under $900,000, arrived in Port Sudan on charter flight from Nairobi on July 20, "to ensure the continuation of HIV and TB treatment for patients throughout the country", the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sudan* says in a statement published yesterday.
The medicines, diagnostics and supplies from this shipment will be distributed to beneficiaries across the country, UNDP says. They will be used to replenish the stock of multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis medicines and paediatric anti-retroviral (ARV) medicines lost during the escalation of the Sudan conflict in November 2023, resulting in the restoration of treatment for over 120 MDR TB patients and 368 children living with HIV/AIDs. adult anti-retroviral (ARV) medicines were also delivered in this consignment, which will be utilised by 11,429 adults living with HIV/AIDS.
"The delivery of 20.3 tonnes of medical supplies as well as information and communication technology (ICT) is valued at just under $900,000, courtesy of grant funds from The Global Fund. UNDP Sudan has overseen five delivery flights carrying medicines, diagnostics and equipment since the beginning of hostilities on April 15, 2023," the UNDP statement says.
"Continuous availability of TB and HIV medicine is essential to ensuring continuity of treatment, prevention of the spread of infection in the population, and avoidance of the advancement of disease that may lead to higher treatment costs or death. This recent shipment includes adult and paediatric anti-retroviral treatments for people living with HIV (PLHIV), anti-tuberculosis medicine for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients, laboratory consumables and diagnostics, and IT equipment in support of the Federal Ministry of Health and the national programmes.
"UNDP commends the Federal Ministry of Health for remaining resilient and committed to delivering health services during this time. Strengthening systems to support national capacity is the core of our mission in Sudan," says UNDP Sudan Resident Representative Luca Renda. "We will continue to enhance our partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Global Fund and other partners to strengthen medicines/health products supply and distribution systems, which will ensure continuity of HIV and TB treatments while supporting the foundation for a sustainable healthcare system in the future for the country."
"The Federal Ministry of Health is pleased to receive this shipment, which will allow us to continue and maintaining to provide health services to the Sudanese people through their treatment of TB and HIV," said Dr Sara Abdulla Azhari, the Director of Communicable Diseases Control Directorate at the Federal Ministry of Health. "UNDP Sudan and The Global Fund have been excellent partners in maintaining and supporting the public health system of the country."
Beleagured healthcare
The war in Sudan has brought healthcare services across the country to a near standstill. Hospitals across the country have been damaged or destroyed by bombardments, medical staff and volunteers have been targeted and killed, and the hostilities have curtailed distribution of vital medicines and humanitarian aid.
The Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority issued a pilots' bulletin (NOTAM) through the regional office of the International Civil Aviation Organisation in Cairo, opening the eastern route to air traffic, effective July 31. This comes more than 15 months after the decision to completely close Sudanese airspace was issued on the morning of the outbreak of the war on April 15, 2023.
Since then, Sudan's airspace has been an effective no-fly zone for civil aviation, with the exception of occasional humanitarian transports.
*UNDP Sudan:
UNDP Sudan has been committed to staying and delivering in Sudan, supporting the people of Sudan by continuing its development mission in the country. "Health and Social Wellbeing" represents one of the three pillars of UNDP Sudan's crisis offer.
In partnership with The Global Fund, UNDP Sudan is collaborating with, and uniting efforts among, the Federal and States Ministries of Health, the National Medical Supplies Fund (NMSF), UN agencies and other health partners to ensure the continuity of primary healthcare (PHC) service delivery during emergencies, notably through supporting national response to HIV and TB, ensuring real time procurement and distribution of medicine and diagnostic supplies. UNDP Sudan has been the principal recipient of grants from The Global Fund for nearly 20 years, going back to 2005.
Separate from the delivery of medicine and supplies, UNDP Sudan along with the Global Fund and the Government of Sudan collaborate on logistics and supply chain to strengthen the country's national and state health systems. UNDP Sudan's efforts in this regard involve procurement of supplies, delivery vehicles and software, as well as developing and deploying mapping services to provide visibility on available medicines and treatment.
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This year, UNDP Sudan will look to deploy $32 million into the Sudanese health sector:
- $25 million funded through the Global Fund,
- $1.3 million from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation
- $6 million in partnership with the Government of Sudan to support procurement of essential primary healthcare medicine, including insulin and dialysis.
UNDP Sudan's capacity, expertise and resources to maintain HIV and TB treatment is built upon years of supporting the Government of Sudan in its national response. Before the start of hostilities, UNDP Sudan served as the leading organization to support the country's national response to HIV and TB, working to strengthen health systems across the entirety of the service continuum--from technical assistance and capacity building; to provision and maintenance of equipment, external quality assurance, and reporting and monitoring.
(Source: @UNDP Sudan)
