Malaria in Sudan
is a major public health problem.
The country is hit by an estimated
50% of all malaria cases in the World
Health Organization’s Eastern
Mediterranean Region survey with an
estimated 7.5 million cases resulting
in 35,000 deaths per year. The disease
accounts for one-fifth of all hospital
deaths. The malaria case fatality
rate for pediatric hospitals ranges
between 5% and 15%. According to the
Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS), in
October 2005 the prevalence of malaria
among children under the age of 5
years, ranged between 0.4-15.5% and
between 3.7%-10.3% for pregnant women.
In April 2005, with the support of
the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria
(GFATM),
UNDP launched the Malaria Prevention
and Control project.
Objectives
The overall goal of the project is
to reduce the malaria burden to the
extent that it is no longer a public
health problem. The target groups/beneficiaries
are children under five, women of
child-bearing age and the general
population at risk of malaria.
The specific objectives are as follows:
• Disease management including
home management, improving clinical
and laboratory diagnosis, and ensuring
availability and rational use of anti-malarial
drugs.
• Establishing a malaria early
warning system (MEWS) and ensuring
rapid response to the epidemic in
order to have effective disease surveillance
and epidemic management.
• Prevention of malaria during
pregnancy IPT (Intermittent Preventive
Therapy) and relevant vector control
measures.
• Capacity building and improving
institutional work to strengthen UNDP
Sudan’s role as Principal Recipient
for the GFATM.
• UNDP will be the implementing
agency for the delivery of a new building
at the Blue Nile Research and Training
Institute (BNRTI).
Snapshots of the project's major achievements
• A total of 6,773,142 individuals
with uncomplicated malaria received
correct diagnosis and treatment according
to national guidelines.
• A total of 37,054 of patients
were admitted with severe complicated
malaria at hospitals supported by
the Global Fund and have received
correct diagnosis and treatment (Quinine
and IV-fluids)
• A total of 2,963 service delivery
points were strengthened to provide
malaria diagnosis and treatment.
• A total of 1,465 of service
deliverers trained in malaria case
management.
• A total of 82,564 of pregnant
women received intermittent preventive
therapy for malaria.
• 705,000 Long Lasting Impregnated
Nets have been distributed to populations
at risk of getting malaria.
• A total of 128 staff were
trained on sentinel site surveillance,
rapid assessment and response to malaria
epidemic.
• A total of 63,480 houses and
areas in south Gazira were sprayed
with insecticide.
• To improve communications
and timely reporting between Khartoum
and other states , the UNDP distributed
15 internet modem devices, 20 faxes
and 20 printers to the National Malaria
Control Program/ the Federal Ministry
of Health during 2008.
• The construction of Blue Nile
Research and Training Institute by
the UNDP which was funded through
Global Fund Malaria in collaboration
with Gezeira University and the WHO
regional office. The centre conducts
research on all communicable diseases,
such as Kalazar, typhoid and hepatitis
and is the first facility in Sudan
and the Eastern Mediterranean that
grants a Master of Science in entomology
and vector control.
