WHO provides laboratory equipment for the rehabilitation of Istak

19 September 2023(pen) – The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has delivered to the Federal Ministry of Health much-needed equipment and supplies to upgrade the Port Sudan Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) to National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) status instead of the Khartoum National Public Health Laboratory, which has been out of service since April 2023 due to the conflict in Sudan.

WHO stated that laboratory functions are urgently needed to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, particularly during the rainy season when the risk of flooding and disease outbreaks increases.

According to the WHO, supplies included freezers with a freezer capacity of -20°C, RT-PCR kits, rapid diagnostic test kits and modes of transportation, as well as extendable support for operational cost, including fuel for power supply generators.

Dr Nima Said Abed, WHO Representative in Sudan, said: "WHO is fully committed to providing unwavering support to the public health laboratory to ensure that Sudan has the capacity to prepare for and respond to diseases that may turn into epidemics." "Public health laboratories are the cornerstone of health emergency warning and response mechanisms, and we are committed to providing them with equipment, machinery and supplies, and equipping employees with the required skills."

The World Health Organization reported that Sudan's National Public Health Laboratory, located in Khartoum, has not provided its vital functions since April 2023 due to the military occupation that prevented access to facilities.

WHO also stated that they, Sudanese health authorities and health partners have worked to modernize laboratories in safer locations such as Red Sea and Gezira states to provide public health laboratory functions, adding that in the months following the outbreak of conflict in Sudan, the Public Health Laboratory in Port Sudan, Red Sea State, provided key diagnostic and screening services to confirm samples of suspected measles and rubella cases transported to Port Sudan from different states.

The WHO added that the equipment and supplies provided to the laboratory will help expand services for the timely detection and response to disease outbreaks, especially during the high-risk rainy season.According to the World Health Organization, additional equipment and supplies are being prepared, and staff of the National Public Health Laboratory in Port Sudan and the Public Health Laboratory on the Island are to be trained in capacity-building for staff.

The organization stated that the equipment and supplies were purchased with financial support from the European Commission Office for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the United States Agency for International Development (BHA) Humanitarian Assistance Office, the Government of Germany, the Government of Japan, and Kuwait.

WHO added that they remain committed to continuing to provide technical support and capacity building, as well as providing much-needed supplies to rebuild the health system and protect the health of the people of Sudan.