Sudan is one of the countries in the meningitis belt in which each year an epidemic is reported in certain states.
Epidemics are covered by reactive vaccination campaigns using polysaccharide vaccines. The conducting of vaccination campaigns faces challenges as a result of late implementation and high campaign costs.
Due to this situation, there is a plan to accelerate prevention measures against meningitis by delivering the new meningococcal A conjugate vaccine to Sudan in 2012.
From 25 to 30 June 2012, a workshop was organized in Khartoum to provide orientation on the implementation of meningitis case-based surveillance and preparation of the first draft of the adapted generic guidelines and standard operating procedures. The workshop was attended by participants from Epidemiology Departments of different states, WHO and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and was facilitated by WHO Regional Office for Africa.
Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health will continue working on the generic guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures, as well as the preparation for a plan of action, including the implementation phases of meningitis case-based surveillance.
