SUDAN HIV/AIDS WORKING GROUP (SHAWG)

     Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Sudan: One Test...Two Lives

    The future of PMTCT activities in Sudan hinges on scaling up antenatal HIV testing on an opt-out basis. SHAWG is   

    pleased to announce the release of its report on PMTCT activities in Sudan, which with a special reference to Kassala

    state in eastern Sudan, on the world's AIDS day for 2011. The full report with its recommendations can be accessed on  

    the link below.

    One test Two lives report.pdf

SHAWG's Annual General Meeting, Birmingham, 15 October 2011

SHAWG had its annual general meeting in Birmingham on 15 October 2011.

SHAWG AGM 15 Oct 2011.pdf

The main outcomes of this meeting were as follows:

1) SHAWG will continue to support PMTCT activities in Kassala state for the next two years (2012/2013) with a view to consolidate what has already been achieved during 2010/2011. SHAWG aims to enable Kassala   New Maternity Hospital to become a centre of excellence on PMTCT and hopes that their experience could be replicated in other parts of Sudan in the future.
 
2) SHAWG's new executive committee has been formed as follows:

Dr Elbushra Ali Mohamed Herieka                      President
Dr Rasha Omer                                                 Treasurer
Dr Zahir Osman Eltahir Babiker                          Secretary
Dr Husam Kamal Eldin Osman                           Trustee
Dr Yusri Abdalla Taha                                        Trustee

SHAWG's innitiative to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV February-March 2011

As of Novemebr 2009, SHAWG has adopted prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) as its main theme of activities for 2010-2011. The University of Kassala in eastern Sudan expressed keen interest to collaborate with

SHAWG and started the ball rolling by launching an operational research project aiming at assessing the burden of

maternal HIV infection in eastern Sudan (Mohammed et al, 2011). Furthermore, a review article on the current

challenges and oppurtunities facing maternal HIV in Sudan was jointly authored by members of SHAWG and the

University of Kassala (Babiker et al, 2010) .

The University of Kassala and SHAWG sought sponsorship from the  

Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) , which is run by the United Nations Development

Program (UNDP), for a series of training workshops targeting obstetricians, physicians, paediatricians,

midwives, and health visitors. These workshops were run in February and March of 2011 in central and eastern Sudan

and were attended by 225 frontline healthcare professionals.

A symposium dedicated to addressing ways to combat stigma among healthcare professionals was organised in collaboration with the University of Kassala medical students' association and was attended by key religious and community leaders in Kassala. A joint press conference outlining fields of collaboration between the University of Kassala, SHAWG, and UNDP/TOKTEN programme was attended by representatives of national and local media in Kassala state.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) detailing future collaboration between SHAWG and the University of Kassala on effective transfer of HIV knowledge was signed by representatives from both parties in 01 March 2011. The essence of the MOU is about developing effective ways for transferring HIV knowledge through organising training workshops, establishing long-term clinical mentorship schemes, introducing clinical audits to HIV/AIDS care, conducting operational research on HIV/AIDS, and assisting in the development of undergraduate and postgraduate HIV curricula. Both parties have been canvassing political support for PMTCT from local and national stakeholders and have so far received positive responses.

For the first time ever, antental HIV and syphilis testing on an opt-out basis has been introduced at Kassala New Maternity Hospital as of 01 March 2011. This experience will be carefully monitored and evaluated in order to learn lessons from it. Hopefully, this experience will be replicated in other parts of Sudan.

UNDP reception 21 Februray 2011

One-day Symposium on PMTCT, Khartoum Teaching Hospital 23 February 2011

 Kassala Training Workshop for Doctors, University Kassala,  27-28 Feb 2011 (part I)

Kassala Training Workshop for Doctors, University Kassala, 27-28 Feb 2011 (part II)

Midwives symposium on PMTCT, Kassala New Maternity Hospital, 01 March 2011 

Signing of the memorandum of understanding between SHAWG & University of Kassala 01 March 2011