South Sudan
Hospital and Community Links
Medical Training
Nurse Training
Public Health
Other Initiatives
Hospital and Community Links
Brickworks (Winchester - Yei)
The Brickworks in Winchester has supported the establishment of a community clinic in Yei over the past few years. This work is now closely connected with the link that has been established by the Winchester Hospital and the hospital in Yei.
CRESS UK - Kajo-Keji
CRESS-UK is a church based charity working from Chalke Valley to alleviate poverty in Kajo-Keji.
Dorchester Hospital - Rumbeck
This a new link being explored with Rumbeck Hospital.
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital - Bohr
This is a new link being explored with Bohr, but on hold at the present.
Poole - Wau
The Poole - Africa Link is a charity link which was set up in 2009 between Poole Hospital and Wau Teaching Hospital, Southern Sudan. The aim is to help by setting up basic teaching and training programmes for nurses and midwives, and post-graduate training for doctors. Staff from Poole Hospital donate their time and expertise to support the project by visiting Wau to carry out training and establish systems to improve ongoing support. The project team is liaising with government officials in Southern Sudan, to encourage them to support some of the hospital's needs for equipment and services.
St Mary's (Isle of Wight) - Juba
The St Mary's link with Juba was established In October 2007, when Juba Teaching Hospital was twinned with St Mary's Hospital, Isle of Wight with the following general objective:
"To promote understanding of the needs and to support the Government of Southern Sudan, in order to improve clinical services through the development of education and training."
The Link has been a moving force behind the formation of other more recent Links with other parts of South Sudan. It has also raised funds for the building of a bungalow for use by visiting staff from the UK. This will be invaluable, particularly as the cost of accommodation in Juba is high.
Salisbury Sudan Medical Link
A link has been established between the Salisbury Diocese and Sudan since 1972. The medical link was set up in 1983 and covers a wide geographical area from Wau southwards. Its work has been focused on
- the distribution of primary health care kits distributed from a pharmacy in Kampala
- training medical workers
- funding health awareness projects
It covers a wide geographical area from Wau southwards.
Salisbury Health Care Sudan
Health Care Sudan is a UK charity based in Salisbury with strong connections with the Salisbury Diocese. It aims to help local organisations in South Sudan provide basic health care. It does this by working on development projects in partnership with the grass-roots non-governmental Sudan Health Association, which runs a network of village clinics in Kajo Keji and Juba Counties.
Winchester - Yei
The Winchester - Yei partnership was developed initially between the former Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust and Yei Civil Hospital in South Suda. However, it has grown and now includes as partners, the Martha Primary Health Care Centre and the Yei National Health Training Institute. Itsr aim is to help improve local health and healthcare in Yei and the surrounding area through training programmes delivered by UK staff to front-line health professionals in Yei.
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Medical Training
Undergraduate Medical Education
This is a link being developed by a paediatric surgeon at Oxford Brookes Hospital and the medical school in Juba. Initial activity has been to collate undergraduate medical learning resources that can be accessed through the internet. Links with other UK Medical Schools are being developed to support the work.
South Sudan Medical Journal
The South Sudan Medical Journal (SSMJ) was started in February 2008, as the Southern Sudan Medical Bulletin (SSMB), a joint venture between South Sudanese and British doctors who wanted to make a free, accessible journal for all branches of healthcare in South Sudan. Those involved in the St Mary's - Juba Link contributed significantly to this becoming a reality.
It became a charity in 2009 and was renamed the Southern Sudan Medical Journal. In line with national independence in July 2011, it was renamed as the South Sudan Medical Journal.
Its vision is to see a well trained, skilled professionals delivering high quality healthcare to the population of the South Sudan. Its mission is to publish research and clinical guidance that will support medical training and positively influence the development of healthcare services in South Sudan.
It is accessed free and anyone from any health background may contribute articles for publication.
Undergraduate Medical Education
A link has been developed by a paediatric surgeon at Oxford Brookes Hospital with the medical school in Juba. Initial activity has been to collate undergraduate medical learning resources that can be accessed through the internet. Links with other UK Medical Schools are being developed to support the work.
Further Medical Training
A curriculum and organisation to provide 2 years of further medical training for newly qualified has been developed by a collaboration between medical staff in Wessex and other parts of the UK. A Training the Trainer course was run in Juba at the end of 2012 with further training during 2013.
Through an initiative with the Royal College of Physicians, other Medical Colleges e.g. Obstetricics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Child Health, Surgeons, Radiologists are now offering their support for a larger programme that will involve visiting trainers and distance mentoring from other parts of the UK as well.
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Nurse Training
Initial and Further Nurse Training
The St Mary's Link was instrumental in helping to find the funding to build the Nursing School in Juba and has provided periodic training support since.
Financial support for the training of some nurse is provided by the Salisbury Diocesan Link.
Nursing staff from the various Links offer training when they visit.
UK South Sudan Nursing Group
UK nurses involved in Links have formed a co-ordinating group to offer support to nurse training in South Sudan. This meetings two to three times a year in Bournemouth.
Standardised National Midwifery In-Service Training Programme
The University of Southampton won a contract funded by WHO and commissioned by the Government to recommend an in-service midwifery training programme for staff in South Sudan. The work was completed in 2012 and the the recommendations are being implemented.
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Faculty of Public Health
Faculty of Public Health - Ministry of Health
A Memorandum of Understanding has been agreed between the Faculty of Public Health in the UK with the Ministry of Health in South Sudan to provide support to South Sudan. Initial work is to support the development of public health legislation and organise a conference in South Sudan to explore settings approaches e.g. healthy villages, healthy towns to improve health. The feasibility and value of developing distance learning and telemedicine is also being explored.
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Other Initiatives
Vision 2020
Ophthalmologists from Poole and Norwich are collaboratig with colleagues in South Sudan to develop the Vision 2020 initiative. Through this the intention is to improve equipment and training in ophtalmology.
Primary Trauma Care Course
Courses in the immediate management of trauma have been run by visiting trainers, and there are plans to deliver a more co-ordinated programme in the future.