Hope for Her: Supporting Sudanese Women in Port Sudan

Hope for Her: Supporting Sudanese Women and Doctors in Port Sudan

The Sudanese Youth and Women’s Organisation, based in Belfast, hope to raise money for the Humanitarian Obstetrics and Gynaecology Mission, commencing in January 2025. We, Yara and Marwah, as part of Cardiff for Sudan, believe it is crucial to help in extending the support for the project.

Sudan’s healthcare system is on the verge of collapse due to the war, leaving hospitals without resources, equipment, or adequately trained healthcare professionals. To help, we want to support a team of Sudanese doctors from the diaspora who are launching a life-saving training program. This program will focus on obstetrics and gynaecology, targeting maternal and neonatal health needs through life-saving skills training. The team of doctors are collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and Sudan Medical Specialisation Board and will be going the week starting 20th of January 2025.

Our goal for Cardiff is to raise £1,500. This money will be sent to the Sudanese Youth and Women’s Organisation, forwarded onto the Sudanese doctors leading the Humanitarian Obstetrics and Gynaecology Mission. The money will provide much needed training equipment, shipping, and setup costs. Donations will directly equip Port Sudan’s healthcare workers with essential skills and resources, empowering them to deliver critical care to their communities.

Training in obstetrics and gynaecology is crucial to addressing Sudan’s high maternal and infant mortality rates. Well-equipped and skilled doctors can handle childbirth complications, perform necessary surgeries, and improve health outcomes for women and newborns. Every contribution is an investment in the safety and health of Sudanese families.

To help sufficiently provide a start up for a stable health care system for women in Port Sudan, the Humanitarian Obstetrics and Gynaecology Mission will follow a five day programme:

1. Educational lectures for local trainees and consultants.

2. Free clinics in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

3. Free surgeries in urogynaecology, benign gynaecology, laparoscopic surgery, gyne-oncology, obstetric procedures, fetal medicine, fertility and adolescent gynaecology.

4. Workshops in perineal repair techniques.

5. Networking with local professionals to identify future needs.

Additionally, the following equipment is essential to help fulfil the goals of the mission:

- Instrumental Delivery: Obstetric forceps, Kiwi devices, pelvic models, and baby mannequins for realistic delivery training.

- Maternal Resuscitation: Whole-body maternal models and defibrillators for emergency maternal care.

- Neonatal Resuscitation: Neonatal mannequins and Ambu bags to support life-saving newborn training.

So, every contribution no matter how big or small, is so valuable as it takes us a step closer to our goal and closer to change!

The Sudanese Youth and Women’s Organisation play a major role in empowering the Sudanese community in Belfast. And in Cardiff, we are proud to say the wider community has not fallen short with showing their solidarity for Sudan and building the Sudanese movement from strength to strength in 2024. Together, Belfast and Cardiff, we can rebuild that hope for Sudanese women who have endured so much loss and pain as a result of this horrific and tragic war against civilians; that they are remembered and we refuse to ignore the suffering they have faced.