Khartoum, 12 December – Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) this week started support to the Khartoum State Ministry of Health in their response to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the city. MSF is supporting the staff in COVID-19 isolation units through a tailored support to each isolation unit and reinforcing the ambulance system.
“We are working hand-in-hand with our partners in the Khartoum State Ministry of Health to provide care to patients ill with COVID-19,” said Carla Melki, MSF’s Emergency Coordinator in Sudan. “At the moment, many people are treated for COVID-19 at home, and so coming too late to the hospital, which makes it harder to prevent and treat complications that can lead to death. We want to reinforce the message that people suffering from symptoms of COVID-19 should go to a COVID-19 isolation center to access free care as soon as possible.”
Within the framework of this project MSF has started supporting the existing primary public isolation units in coordination with the Isolation Command Center, carrying out bed-side training on medical protocols, infection control, patient triage and unit organization to ensure the best use of existing capacities. The intervention started in Ibrahim Malik Hospital Isolation unit and will be carried out in more units in the weeks to come. MSF is also providing psychosocial support to healthcare workers who have faced a difficult situation during this global pandemic.
“COVID-19 can be a very scary illness, and so we understand that people want to stay home,” continued Melki. “However, in most cases it is not fatal – but the sooner people seek help for severe illness the more likely they are to survive. That’s why we are encouraging people to seek treatment as soon as they experience symptoms.”
MSF is an international medical humanitarian organisation that was founded in 1971. Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of neutrality, independence and impartiality. Assistance is offered based on medical needs, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.
MSF has been working in Sudan since 1978. In recent years our operations have been focussed in the states of Khartoum, Gedaref, Blue Nile, White Nile, East Darfur, West Darfur, South Darfur, Central Darfur and Kassala, with emergency teams launching interventions in other areas as needed.