Background War results in widespread destruction of a country's infrastructure, healthcare facili... more Background War results in widespread destruction of a country's infrastructure, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. This study aims to assess the attacks on medical schools amidst the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted across 58 medical schools located in the states of Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan. Data on attacks between April 15, 2023, and July 15th 2023, were collected using online data collection form. Results All medical schools in conflict areas were included in the study. More than half (58.6%) of these medical schools were attacked. Private schools, constituting the majority of the study sample, were the most frequently attacked (70.6%). Of these, 52.9% were located in Khartoum city. More than one form of attack was reported in 64.7% of the affected schools. Looting occurred in 73.5% of the attacked faculties, while 67.6% of them were converted into military bases. Despite these challenges, 60.3% of the schools in the conflict zone managed to restore the educational process through online learning and collaboration with other institutions. Conclusion During a three-month period of warfare, most medical schools within conflict zones were attacked. This emphasizes the vulnerability of medical education institutions during war and highlights the urgent need of the Ministry of Higher Education interventions to provide leadership, support, and oversight for the educational process in medical schools across the country.
Background: On April 15, 2023, the armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the... more Background: On April 15, 2023, the armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started in Khartoum state, Sudan. This conflict was complicated by the preexisting complicated epidemiological situation and fragile health system in Sudan. This study endeavors to illuminate the pivotal role essayed by the Sudan FETP (SFETP) in enhancing the nation's public health response, particularly amidst the tumultuous backdrop of armed conflicts that have left their indelible mark on the region. Methods: Employing a blend of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, we investigated the SFETP's contributions to the public health response during the initial 4 months of the conflict (April-July 2023). Sixty-four SFETP residents and graduates were invited to participate, and data were gathered through semi-structured questionnaires. Results: A total of 44 (69%) SFETP residents and graduates were included in this study. Out of 38 SFETPs present in the states, 32 have considerably contributed to the crisis response at state and locality levels. Three-quarters of them have played key leadership, planning, and management roles. In essence, 38% (n = 12) of them have contributed to public health surveillance, particularly in data management, reports, Early Warning Alert and Response System (EWAR) establishment, and epidemic investigation. SFETPs have made special contributions to crisis response at the community level. The involved SFETPs supported WASH interventions (n = 4), and almost one-third of them strengthened risk communication and community engagement (n = 9). Despite their physical presence at the subnational level, 27% of graduates were not deployed to the crisis emergency response. Notably, throughout this time, half of the total SFETPs were formally retained during this response. Conclusion: The study highlighted the importance of FETP engagement and support during public health crises. SFETP residents and graduates played diverse roles in the various levels of public health emergency response to the crisis. However. Strategies to improve the deployment and retention of FETP residents are necessary to ensure their availability during crises. Overall, FETP has proven to be an asset in public health crisis management in Sudan.
Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, May 30, 2023
Introduction: Several studies have investigated COVID-19 vaccine acceptability and hesitancy, esp... more Introduction: Several studies have investigated COVID-19 vaccine acceptability and hesitancy, especially among healthcare workers (HCWs). However, acceptability of the vaccine by HCWs in Sudan remains unclear. Aims: We investigated acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine and its determinants among HCWs in Sudan. Methods: Using a semi-structured questionnaire, we conducted a web-based cross-sectional study of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its associated determinants among healthcare workers in Sudan during March-April 2021. Results: A total of 576 HCWs responded to the survey. Mean age was 35 years. Females (53.3%), medical doctors (55.4%) and being located in Khartoum State (76.0%) each accounted for more than half of the participants. Absolute refusal of the COVID-19 vaccine was expressed by 16.0% of the respondents. Males were more than twice as likely to accept the vaccine as females. Lower acceptability was statistically significantly associated with the nurses (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15-0.82, P < 0.001), increased perceived harm from the vaccine (OR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05-0.23, P < 0.001), lack of confidence in the source of the vaccine (OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.08-0.31, P < 0.001) and lack of confidence in organizations or government sectors supervising the vaccination process (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.17-0.58, P < 0.001). Conclusion: This study highlights a moderate level of COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among HCWs in Sudan. Special consideration should be given to addressing vaccine hesitancy among female HCWs and nurses.
Children and adolescents account for a small proportion of confirmed COVID-19 cases, with mild an... more Children and adolescents account for a small proportion of confirmed COVID-19 cases, with mild and self-limiting clinical manifestations. The distribution and determinants of COVID-19 among this group in Sudan are unclear. This study used national COVID-19 surveillance data to study the epidemiology of COVID-19 among children and adolescents in Sudan during 2020–2021. A cross-sectional study was performed to estimate the reported incidence of children and adolescents with COVID-19; the clinical features; and the mortality among those who tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 3150 suspected cases of COVID-19 infection fulfilled the study criteria. The majority of cases were above 10 years of age, 52% (1635) were males, and 56% (1765) were asymptomatic. The reported incidence rates of COVID-19 among children and adolescents in Sudan was 1.3 per 10,000 in 2021. Fever, cough, and headache were the most frequent symptoms reported among the suspected cases. The case fatality rate was 0...
Globally, frontline health care providers are among the most affected population group by the COV... more Globally, frontline health care providers are among the most affected population group by the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing the factors contributing to the transmission of COVID-19 infection among frontline health care providers is essential for implementing tailored control measures and protecting this vital population group. This study aimed to estimate the proportion and to identify factors associated with COVID-19 infection among medical doctors in Sudan. A web-based survey was used to collect data from medical doctors who were working in Sudan during the study period. Data were analyzed using SPSS® version 25; Descriptive analysis in terms of means (SD) for continuous variables, frequencies, and percentages with 95% CI for the categorical variable was conducted. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression for associations between the outcome variables (risk of exposure to COVID-19 infection and ever tested positive for COVID-19 infection) and independent variables (socio-demogr...
UNSTRUCTURED Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease spreading rapidly in Sudan, the res... more UNSTRUCTURED Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease spreading rapidly in Sudan, the rest of the African continent and the world with no known definitive treatment or vaccines. However, among many treatment modalities being tested globally, there is reported clinical improvement when convalescent plasma transfusion is used for COVID-19 patients. We prepared a guiding protocol for treating early COVID-19 patients with plasma transfusion from convalescent COVID-19 patients. This protocol was elicited using the published reports and studies that evaluated and tested convalescent plasma as a potential therapy for COVID-19. The protocol covers guidance on donor selection, screening, donation and handling of blood and plasma units, and instructions on transfusion of convalescent plasma. In conclusion we prepared a treatment protocol that is tailored to the context of Sudan to be adopted by Sudan health authority. Moreover, it will also provide reference for researchers to design ...
Introduction: Following emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccines, several studies have investigate... more Introduction: Following emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccines, several studies have investigated COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy especially among healthcare workers (HCWs). Nevertheless, the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine by HCWs in Sudan remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine and it’s determinants among the HCWs. Methods: A web-based cross sectional study design was used to study COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its associated determinants. The semi-structured questionnaire was distributed electronically, data collection took place from March-April 2021. Results: A total of 576 HCWs have responded to the survey with mean age of 35 years. The majority were females (53.3%), Medical Doctors (55.4%), and located in the capital state; Khartoum (76.0%). The absolute refusal of COVID-19 vaccine was expressed by 16% of the respondents while 57% were willing to get vaccinated. Males were twice to four times more likely to a...
Background: Students' academic performance is largely affected by their motivation. Moreover, hea... more Background: Students' academic performance is largely affected by their motivation. Moreover, health professions' education needs motivated students who are keen to tolerate the burden of clinical work along with the academic excellence to graduate competently. This study assessed the effect of tutors on students' motivation. Method: A cross-sectional, institution-based study of the first-year medical students at University of Khartoum, Sudan was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was used comprising a modified Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) with students' evaluation of their tutors after semester one community medicine course. A total of 237 out of 324 students responded. Pearson productmoment correlation coefficient was used to test the relationship between motivation and evaluation. Hierarchical multiple regression model tested the ability of evaluation factors to predict motivation score. Results: There was a significant association between tutor's characteristics regarding creativity in conducting the sessions, igniting discussion, and adequacy of knowledge about the course contents and the motivation score (p-value = 0.001). There was a strong, positive correlation between the perceived evaluation score and perceived motivation score (r = 0.505, n = 206, p < 0.0005). After controlling age, gender, paternal educational levels, and scores of Sudanese certificate upon entry, R squared change = 0.28, F change (9.181) = 8.416, p < 0.001. In the final model, the content of the course was statistically significant, standardized Beta = 0.285, indicating that content uniquely explains 5.7% of the variance in total perceived motivation score. Conclusion: The evaluation score explained 28% of the variance in student motivation. Students' motivation is significantly associated with tutor's teaching skills concerning knowledge, creativity, students' involvement, and attractiveness in conducting the tutorials. Improving course content can enhance students' motivation toward community medicine.
UNSTRUCTURED Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease spreading rapidly in Sudan, the res... more UNSTRUCTURED Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease spreading rapidly in Sudan, the rest of the African continent and the world with no known definitive treatment or vaccines. However, among many treatment modalities being tested globally, there is reported clinical improvement when convalescent plasma transfusion is used for COVID-19 patients. We prepared a guiding protocol for treating early COVID-19 patients with plasma transfusion from convalescent COVID-19 patients. This protocol was elicited using the published reports and studies that evaluated and tested convalescent plasma as a potential therapy for COVID-19. The protocol covers guidance on donor selection, screening, donation and handling of blood and plasma units, and instructions on transfusion of convalescent plasma. In conclusion we prepared a treatment protocol that is tailored to the context of Sudan to be adopted by Sudan health authority. Moreover, it will also provide reference for researchers to design ...
Background War results in widespread destruction of a country's infrastructure, healthcare facili... more Background War results in widespread destruction of a country's infrastructure, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. This study aims to assess the attacks on medical schools amidst the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted across 58 medical schools located in the states of Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan. Data on attacks between April 15, 2023, and July 15th 2023, were collected using online data collection form. Results All medical schools in conflict areas were included in the study. More than half (58.6%) of these medical schools were attacked. Private schools, constituting the majority of the study sample, were the most frequently attacked (70.6%). Of these, 52.9% were located in Khartoum city. More than one form of attack was reported in 64.7% of the affected schools. Looting occurred in 73.5% of the attacked faculties, while 67.6% of them were converted into military bases. Despite these challenges, 60.3% of the schools in the conflict zone managed to restore the educational process through online learning and collaboration with other institutions. Conclusion During a three-month period of warfare, most medical schools within conflict zones were attacked. This emphasizes the vulnerability of medical education institutions during war and highlights the urgent need of the Ministry of Higher Education interventions to provide leadership, support, and oversight for the educational process in medical schools across the country.
Background: On April 15, 2023, the armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the... more Background: On April 15, 2023, the armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started in Khartoum state, Sudan. This conflict was complicated by the preexisting complicated epidemiological situation and fragile health system in Sudan. This study endeavors to illuminate the pivotal role essayed by the Sudan FETP (SFETP) in enhancing the nation's public health response, particularly amidst the tumultuous backdrop of armed conflicts that have left their indelible mark on the region. Methods: Employing a blend of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, we investigated the SFETP's contributions to the public health response during the initial 4 months of the conflict (April-July 2023). Sixty-four SFETP residents and graduates were invited to participate, and data were gathered through semi-structured questionnaires. Results: A total of 44 (69%) SFETP residents and graduates were included in this study. Out of 38 SFETPs present in the states, 32 have considerably contributed to the crisis response at state and locality levels. Three-quarters of them have played key leadership, planning, and management roles. In essence, 38% (n = 12) of them have contributed to public health surveillance, particularly in data management, reports, Early Warning Alert and Response System (EWAR) establishment, and epidemic investigation. SFETPs have made special contributions to crisis response at the community level. The involved SFETPs supported WASH interventions (n = 4), and almost one-third of them strengthened risk communication and community engagement (n = 9). Despite their physical presence at the subnational level, 27% of graduates were not deployed to the crisis emergency response. Notably, throughout this time, half of the total SFETPs were formally retained during this response. Conclusion: The study highlighted the importance of FETP engagement and support during public health crises. SFETP residents and graduates played diverse roles in the various levels of public health emergency response to the crisis. However. Strategies to improve the deployment and retention of FETP residents are necessary to ensure their availability during crises. Overall, FETP has proven to be an asset in public health crisis management in Sudan.
Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, May 30, 2023
Introduction: Several studies have investigated COVID-19 vaccine acceptability and hesitancy, esp... more Introduction: Several studies have investigated COVID-19 vaccine acceptability and hesitancy, especially among healthcare workers (HCWs). However, acceptability of the vaccine by HCWs in Sudan remains unclear. Aims: We investigated acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine and its determinants among HCWs in Sudan. Methods: Using a semi-structured questionnaire, we conducted a web-based cross-sectional study of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its associated determinants among healthcare workers in Sudan during March-April 2021. Results: A total of 576 HCWs responded to the survey. Mean age was 35 years. Females (53.3%), medical doctors (55.4%) and being located in Khartoum State (76.0%) each accounted for more than half of the participants. Absolute refusal of the COVID-19 vaccine was expressed by 16.0% of the respondents. Males were more than twice as likely to accept the vaccine as females. Lower acceptability was statistically significantly associated with the nurses (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15-0.82, P < 0.001), increased perceived harm from the vaccine (OR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05-0.23, P < 0.001), lack of confidence in the source of the vaccine (OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.08-0.31, P < 0.001) and lack of confidence in organizations or government sectors supervising the vaccination process (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.17-0.58, P < 0.001). Conclusion: This study highlights a moderate level of COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among HCWs in Sudan. Special consideration should be given to addressing vaccine hesitancy among female HCWs and nurses.
Children and adolescents account for a small proportion of confirmed COVID-19 cases, with mild an... more Children and adolescents account for a small proportion of confirmed COVID-19 cases, with mild and self-limiting clinical manifestations. The distribution and determinants of COVID-19 among this group in Sudan are unclear. This study used national COVID-19 surveillance data to study the epidemiology of COVID-19 among children and adolescents in Sudan during 2020–2021. A cross-sectional study was performed to estimate the reported incidence of children and adolescents with COVID-19; the clinical features; and the mortality among those who tested positive for COVID-19. A total of 3150 suspected cases of COVID-19 infection fulfilled the study criteria. The majority of cases were above 10 years of age, 52% (1635) were males, and 56% (1765) were asymptomatic. The reported incidence rates of COVID-19 among children and adolescents in Sudan was 1.3 per 10,000 in 2021. Fever, cough, and headache were the most frequent symptoms reported among the suspected cases. The case fatality rate was 0...
Globally, frontline health care providers are among the most affected population group by the COV... more Globally, frontline health care providers are among the most affected population group by the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing the factors contributing to the transmission of COVID-19 infection among frontline health care providers is essential for implementing tailored control measures and protecting this vital population group. This study aimed to estimate the proportion and to identify factors associated with COVID-19 infection among medical doctors in Sudan. A web-based survey was used to collect data from medical doctors who were working in Sudan during the study period. Data were analyzed using SPSS® version 25; Descriptive analysis in terms of means (SD) for continuous variables, frequencies, and percentages with 95% CI for the categorical variable was conducted. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression for associations between the outcome variables (risk of exposure to COVID-19 infection and ever tested positive for COVID-19 infection) and independent variables (socio-demogr...
UNSTRUCTURED Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease spreading rapidly in Sudan, the res... more UNSTRUCTURED Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease spreading rapidly in Sudan, the rest of the African continent and the world with no known definitive treatment or vaccines. However, among many treatment modalities being tested globally, there is reported clinical improvement when convalescent plasma transfusion is used for COVID-19 patients. We prepared a guiding protocol for treating early COVID-19 patients with plasma transfusion from convalescent COVID-19 patients. This protocol was elicited using the published reports and studies that evaluated and tested convalescent plasma as a potential therapy for COVID-19. The protocol covers guidance on donor selection, screening, donation and handling of blood and plasma units, and instructions on transfusion of convalescent plasma. In conclusion we prepared a treatment protocol that is tailored to the context of Sudan to be adopted by Sudan health authority. Moreover, it will also provide reference for researchers to design ...
Introduction: Following emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccines, several studies have investigate... more Introduction: Following emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccines, several studies have investigated COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy especially among healthcare workers (HCWs). Nevertheless, the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine by HCWs in Sudan remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine and it’s determinants among the HCWs. Methods: A web-based cross sectional study design was used to study COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its associated determinants. The semi-structured questionnaire was distributed electronically, data collection took place from March-April 2021. Results: A total of 576 HCWs have responded to the survey with mean age of 35 years. The majority were females (53.3%), Medical Doctors (55.4%), and located in the capital state; Khartoum (76.0%). The absolute refusal of COVID-19 vaccine was expressed by 16% of the respondents while 57% were willing to get vaccinated. Males were twice to four times more likely to a...
Background: Students' academic performance is largely affected by their motivation. Moreover, hea... more Background: Students' academic performance is largely affected by their motivation. Moreover, health professions' education needs motivated students who are keen to tolerate the burden of clinical work along with the academic excellence to graduate competently. This study assessed the effect of tutors on students' motivation. Method: A cross-sectional, institution-based study of the first-year medical students at University of Khartoum, Sudan was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was used comprising a modified Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) with students' evaluation of their tutors after semester one community medicine course. A total of 237 out of 324 students responded. Pearson productmoment correlation coefficient was used to test the relationship between motivation and evaluation. Hierarchical multiple regression model tested the ability of evaluation factors to predict motivation score. Results: There was a significant association between tutor's characteristics regarding creativity in conducting the sessions, igniting discussion, and adequacy of knowledge about the course contents and the motivation score (p-value = 0.001). There was a strong, positive correlation between the perceived evaluation score and perceived motivation score (r = 0.505, n = 206, p < 0.0005). After controlling age, gender, paternal educational levels, and scores of Sudanese certificate upon entry, R squared change = 0.28, F change (9.181) = 8.416, p < 0.001. In the final model, the content of the course was statistically significant, standardized Beta = 0.285, indicating that content uniquely explains 5.7% of the variance in total perceived motivation score. Conclusion: The evaluation score explained 28% of the variance in student motivation. Students' motivation is significantly associated with tutor's teaching skills concerning knowledge, creativity, students' involvement, and attractiveness in conducting the tutorials. Improving course content can enhance students' motivation toward community medicine.
UNSTRUCTURED Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease spreading rapidly in Sudan, the res... more UNSTRUCTURED Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease spreading rapidly in Sudan, the rest of the African continent and the world with no known definitive treatment or vaccines. However, among many treatment modalities being tested globally, there is reported clinical improvement when convalescent plasma transfusion is used for COVID-19 patients. We prepared a guiding protocol for treating early COVID-19 patients with plasma transfusion from convalescent COVID-19 patients. This protocol was elicited using the published reports and studies that evaluated and tested convalescent plasma as a potential therapy for COVID-19. The protocol covers guidance on donor selection, screening, donation and handling of blood and plasma units, and instructions on transfusion of convalescent plasma. In conclusion we prepared a treatment protocol that is tailored to the context of Sudan to be adopted by Sudan health authority. Moreover, it will also provide reference for researchers to design ...
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