Sudan: Vaccine hero on front lines uses auto rickshaw

For the past 11 years, immunisation specialist Ibtisam Abdullah Altayeb has been protecting children in Sudan from vaccine-preventable diseases. When armed conflict broke out between Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Response Forces on April 15, her job got a lot more complicated. Read more.

Article at Forbes - www.forbes.com

UNICEF USABRANDVOICE| Paid Program

Written by Proscovia Nakibuuka Mbonye

Published Thursday 29 June 2023, 12:42pm EDT - here is a full copy:

Vaccination Hero On the Front Lines In Sudan

On June 5, 2023, Ibtisam Abdullah Altayeb, a UNICEF-supported immunization specialist at Gezirat Al-Feel Health Center in Sudan, vaccinates a child at a shelter for displaced people. © UNICEF/UN0856032/MOHAMDEEN

For the past 11 years, immunization specialist Ibtisam Abdullah Altayeb has been protecting children in Sudan from vaccine-preventable diseases. When armed conflict broke out between Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Response Forces on April 15, 2023, her job got a lot more complicated.

Since April, the conflict has pushed an estimated 2.2 million people — including 1 million children — out of their homes in search of safety. Some are displaced inside Sudan, others have fled to neighboring countries.

On June 5, 2023, UNICEF-supported vaccinator Ibtisam Abdullah Altayeb jumps into an auto rickshaw with a cold storage bag full of vaccines, en route to a center for families displaced by violence in Sudan.© UNICEF/UN0856025/MOHAMDEEN

Crowded living conditions leave displaced children particularly vulnerable to disease outbreaks

An important part of protecting children from harm is making sure they are up to date on all their vaccinations. But for displaced mothers and caretakers unfamiliar with their new surroundings, finding health facility locations and figuring out which services are offered where can be a high hurdle.

So Ibtisam and her health worker colleagues are innovating to reach displaced children and those in host communities through a coordinated weekly approach: home visits. 

They are determined to reach every child with lifesaving vaccines, despite the challenging times. And nothing will stop them.

Ibtisam Abdullah Altayeb, a vaccinator at Gezirat Al-Feel Health Center in Sudan, arrives at a shelter for displaced people to provide vaccination services for children who have fled violence with their families.© UNICEF/UN0856036/MOHAMDEEN

Home visits ensure every child receives lifesaving vaccines

On a Wednesday morning, Ibtisam arrives at her work station. According to the schedule, this day is designated for immunization outreach targeting displaced children. Her first stop: the Ishgaddi gathering point.

Children and families are arriving daily, taking refuge in places like Madani. Many are living in schools and institutions also known as gathering points, while some are hosted by relatives. The locations have been mapped out by the health workers for easy reach of eligible children, and Ibtisam and her team have created a schedule indicating who goes where and when.

“These days, we have many people arriving, first from Al Damazine and now from Khartoum. We don’t discriminate while offering our services. Every child has the right to vaccination,” she says.

Ibtisam Abdullah Altayeb loads vaccines into a cooler box before heading out to protect more children from vaccine-preventable diseases. © UNICEF/UN0856018/MOHAMDEEN

Some families have their children’s immunization records, others come empty-handed

Vaccines and other supplies are prepped for delivery and Ibtisam is ready to head out to the communities.

“Some families came with health cards containing all the immunization records of their child, which is always helpful," she says. "Others came empty-handed, and some have never been immunized.”

“We don’t say no to anyone. We work together on an immunization plan ... Today I am taking vaccines for measles, meningitis and yellow fever. There are several new mothers in the camp,” she asserts.

Ibtisam Abdullah Altayeb, a vaccinator at Gezirat Al-Feel Health Center, waits for mothers to bring their children for vaccination at a shelter for displaced people. © UNICEF/UN0856026/MOHAMDEEN

UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Health are working together to maintain an uninterrupted supply chain of vaccines

On Sundays and Tuesdays, Ibtisam runs static vaccination clinics at the health facility; on Mondays she conducts outreach sessions for displaced communities in camps and shelters.

Given the significant increase in the number of arrivals, the health facility occasionally experiences reduced vaccine stocks. But UNICEF and the Federal Ministry of Health are addressing these challenges through maintenance of an uninterrupted supply chain of vaccines in 12 states, including Gezira state, where Madani is located.

Using the quickest means of transport to reach the children with vaccines safely tucked into a cooler box that keeps them safe and effective, Ibtisam heads out to the gathering point with several children under 5.

In no time, the mothers with their children congregate around her.

Ibtisam Abdullah Altayeb shares vaccine information with mothers and caregivers who have brought their children for vaccination at a shelter for displaced people in Sudan.© UNICEF/UN0856033/MOHAMDEEN

Outreach programs address vaccine hesitancy

For several years, Ibtisam has witnessed vaccine refusals resulting from myths shared by mothers and caregivers. Today her sessions begin with health education to demystify these myths and rumors. She shares detailed information on all the vaccines a child needs to stay healthy and when the vaccines should be administered, and ends with the overall importance of vaccination to protect kids from killer childhood illnesses.

“We try to educate the mothers, according to their level of understanding. Sometimes we use posters for visual illustration,” she says.

Mothers are her primary audiences because she believes they are key decision makers on childhood vaccinations in their households. “Sometimes fathers oppose immunization. So, we educate the mothers to convince their husbands on the importance of immunizing their children.”

Original: https://www.forbes.com/sites/unicefusa/2023/06/29/vaccination-hero-on-the-front-lines-in-sudan/

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Rising cases of meningitis reported in Garida and South Nyala in S. Darfur - Meningitis cases rise to 120 in W. Darfur

From SRS - Sudan Radio Service, Wednesday, 21 April 2010:

(Garida) – Rising cases of meningitis have been reported in Garida and South Nyala payams in Southern Darfur State.

Speaking to SRS from Garida payam on Tuesday, the Minister of Health in Southern Darfur state, Mohammed Haroun Ahmed, confirmed the cases.

[Mohammed Haroun Ahmed]: “Cases of meningitis had been discovered in Southern Darfur. In Nyala south we have discovered five cases. The Ministry of Health in the state in cooperation with other organizations such as UNICEF and WHO managed to vaccinate around 60 thousand citizens in South Nyala and at the moment things are under control. However we are still concerned about Garida because more cases have been discovered there. We are going to send a team there tomorrow to vaccinate the people there”

Northern Darfur State Minister of health, Khalid Ali Alfagiri told SRS that his ministry is adequately prepared to curb the break out state.

[Khalid Fagiri Arabic]: “We suspect that there could be some cases present in northern Darfur State. We have done some tests and we are yet to confirm when the results are out. For now, everything is under control. We have enough drugs that have been distributed all over and most of the hospitals are also ready just in case something happens”

Besides Northern and southern Darfur states, meningitis cases have also been reported in Al-Jazeera and Kasala regions.

Meningitis cases rise to 120 in West Darfur
From Radio Dabanga, Tuesday, 27 April 2010:

(El Geneina) - The number of meningitis cases in West Darfur has risen to 120, according to the health ministry. Jamal Ramadan, the state minister of health, told Radio Dabanga that there were 95 cases in El Geneina, the capital. He added that there is a campaign to combat the disease in all localities. People in the state have expressed fear of spread of the disease because of lack of health care.

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The Glass Test



Spots or a rash will still be seen when the side of a clear drinking glass is pressed firmly against the skin

A fever, together with spots or a rash that do not fade under pressure, is a medical emergency.

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges, the linings that surround and protect the brain. It can be caused by many different organisms including bacteria, viruses and fungi. Vaccines are the only way to prevent meningitis, and until we have vaccines to prevent all types you need to know the signs and symptoms to look out for and the action to take.

Septicaemia (blood poisoning) is caused when bacteria enter the bloodstream and multiply uncontrollably. Meningococcal bacteria can cause both meningitis and septicaemia. Together these are known as meningococcal disease.

Most cases of meningitis happen alone, but when there is a case of meningococcal disease, there is a small chance that further cases can happen. To reduce the risk of further cases people who have been in close contact may be offered antibiotics.

Photo and text courtesy of www.meningitis-trust.org
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Septicaemic rash on black skin

A septicaemic rash can be harder to see on dark skin, so check for spots over the whole body, especially on paler areas like palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, on the stomach, inside the eyelids (conjunctiva) and on the roof of the mouth (palate).

Source: www.meningitis.org/symptoms/young-people [Click into the link to see symptoms. Note, symptoms can appear in any order. Someone who feels really ill needs medical help even if they have no rash or a rash that fades. Not everyone gets all these symptoms. Septicaemia can occur with or without meningitis]