Virtual Capacity Building in Conflict Settings: Implementing Project ECHO to Strengthen Sudan’s Health Workforce During War
Presented at the Global Health Security Conference 2026 , Kuala Lumpur, 9-12 June
Presenter: Salih Mohammedkhair, Sudanese American Medical Association (SAMA)
healthcare professionals
virtual sessions delivered
learning hours
cumulative attendances
Background
Since the armed conflict began in Sudan on April 15, 2023, more than 70% of hospitals have stopped operating because of attacks, looting, or supply shortages. Medical education was disrupted, leaving thousands of health workers without supervision or continuing education, just as clinical needs rose sharply, including trauma injuries, outbreaks, and malnutrition.
Approach
Five programs, July 2023 to May 2025
Experts joined virtually from around the world. In Port Sudan, participants gathered at the SAMA-operated Dr. Bushra Ibnauf Center, which offers solar-powered electricity and internet connectivity, while others joined remotely from across Sudan and abroad. Recruitment was open and voluntary, and data were drawn from iECHO and analyzed descriptively.
Trauma
Infectious Diseases
Emergency
Diarrheal Disease
Nutriton
Key Findings
Self-assessed knowledge rose after sessions
“Very knowledgeable”
Based on 776 post-session responses
Before
23.2%
After
60.1%%
“Extremely knowledgeable”
Based on 776 post-session responses
Before
4.1%
After
20.3%
Conclusion
This work shows a conflict-resilient model for virtual capacity building that strengthens the health workforce and supports evidence-based practice in fragile settings, even when in-person training is not possible.
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