Enhancing PHC Response to Epidemics in Sudan
About the Program
In response to the collapse of Sudan’s health infrastructure since the war began in April 2023, and the alarming rise in infectious disease outbreaks like cholera, dengue, diphtheria, and measles, the Sudanese American Medical Association (SAMA) is launching the Primary Healthcare ECHO program. This initiative is designed to empower frontline healthcare workers with the knowledge and tools necessary to detect, manage, and prevent epidemics in crisis-affected communities.
Program Objectives
- Strengthen PHC providers’ capacity in epidemic preparedness and response
- Enhance skills in early warning, clinical management, infection prevention, and community engagement
- Improve health outcomes by enabling coordinated, proactive epidemic responses
Program Schedule
Start Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
End Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Format: Hybrid (Virtual + On-site)
Sessions: 5 sessions (weekly)
Time: 5:00 PM Sudan Time (CAT)
Venues:
Dr. Bushra Ibnauf Center for Humanitarian Relief Support and Learning – Port Sudan
Dr. Bushra Ibnauf Center for Humanitarian Relief Support and Learning – Gedarif
Who Should Attend
- Primary healthcare (PHC) providers
- Community health workers
- NGO field staff involved in health services
Training Topics
- Early detection and classification of epidemics
- Infection prevention and control (IPC) in low-resource settings
- Disease surveillance and reporting systems
- Case management, referral, and follow-up
- Emergency outbreak preparedness for PHC professionals
Register Now
Click here to register
Lectures
Learner Testimonial
Subject Matter Experts
Dr. Hashim Elmousaad
Dr. Hashim Elmousaad is a seasoned public health and medical epidemiology consultant with over 40 years of experience in global health. He has served in pivotal roles with the World Health Organization (13 years) and the U.S. CDC (11 years), providing technical expertise in outbreak investigation, infectious disease control, and health systems strengthening. His work has supported ministries, NGOs, and academic institutions worldwide. A key contributor to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, he has advanced vaccination coverage and data systems in high-risk regions including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iraq, and Yemen. He continues to consult globally on immunization and emergency response.
Moutsem Babeker
Moutsem Babeker is an Epidemiologist, Public Health Specialist, and Microbiologist with more than seven years of humanitarian field experience with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). He has served in diverse roles, including Laboratory Supervisor, Data Supervisor, and Field Epidemiologist, contributing to critical public health responses in challenging contexts. Babeker holds specialized training in Field Epidemiology in Humanitarian Contexts from ISPED, University of Bordeaux, France.
Dr. Lobna Siddig Abdelrahman
Dr. Lobna Siddig Abdelrahman Mohamed is a Senior Specialist in Family Medicine with a distinguished career dedicated to advancing primary healthcare, medical education, and public health. Passionate about social justice and health equity, she played a key role in updating Sudan’s Primary Health Care Guidelines for diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases in collaboration with the WHO and the Khartoum Ministry of Health (2022). She has contributed extensively to medical education as Rapporteur of the Family Medicine Board training committee at SMSB, where she helped design curricula, write the Family Medicine Training Manual, and integrate Evidence-Based Medicine. Dr. Lobna has also led workshops on non-communicable disease management, supervised residents’ theses, and guided the COVID-19 Telemedicine Response Team, ensuring evidence-based care delivery.
Musab Ehab
Musab Ehab is a Registered Nurse with over nine years of diverse experience in emergency care, epidemic response, and primary healthcare. He currently serves as a Cholera Treatment Center Supervisor with MSF France in Sudan, where he leads a team of over 30 staff and has successfully improved infection prevention and control compliance, reducing cross-infections by 40%. His expertise spans maternal and child health programs, vaccination campaigns, nutrition services (SAM/MAM), and community health initiatives.
Previously, Ehab coordinated ER, IPD, and OT departments in a high-volume Khartoum hospital during conflict, training teams in mass casualty triage. His background also includes ICU and ER leadership at a military hospital, with extensive work optimizing PHC services in resource-limited settings. He holds a BSN from Karary University, certifications in Advanced Life Support and epidemiological surveillance
Dr. Salim Mohamednour
Dr. Salim Mohamednour is a Public Health Specialist and Medical Epidemiologist with extensive experience in disease surveillance systems across the Eastern Mediterranean Region. His work includes reviewing assessment reports, mapping surveillance capacities, and evaluating countries’ readiness to detect and report emerging infectious diseases. Dr. Mohamednour has analyzed IHR-JEE reports to establish benchmark assessments and guide the implementation of recommended actions. He has also contributed to developing real-time surveillance indicators and integrating epidemiological data for improved response systems. His expertise supports strengthening regional health security and preparedness against outbreaks such as influenza and other emerging infectious diseases.
Dr. Selma M Taha
Dr. Selma M. Taha is a Consultant in Internal Medicine with extensive experience managing tropical and infectious diseases in Sudan. She previously served at the Tropical Disease Hospital in Kassala, where she provided specialized care for complex medical cases. Dr. Taha holds an MD from the Sudan Medical Specialization Board (SMSB), MRCP Part 1, and an MBBS from AUA. Alongside her clinical work, she has contributed to medical education as an Assistant Professor at several universities, mentoring future physicians. Her dedication to patient care and teaching reflects her commitment to improving healthcare delivery and medical training in Sudan.
