Khartoum- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of International Cooperation (MIC) and the Federal Ministry of Health have reached today an agreement on improving health facilities and the quality of services provided by hospitals in Eastern Sudan.
The ‘Support for the Improvement of the Practicality and Functionality of the Reference General Hospital in Port Sudan, Kassala and Gedarif” project is an unprecedented initiative to improve the health conditions of vulnerable populations, in the Eastern states through upgrading of several hospitals’ infrastructure -identified jointly by the Ministry of Health and the respective state authorities. The project also includes capacity building of national counterpart’s systems and human resources through the transfer of knowledge and technologies in areas related to hospital management skills.
Totaling a budget of USD5 Million for a duration of three years, this project is funded thanks to generous contribution from the Italian Agency for Development Corporation (AICS) and both UNDP and Government of Sudan.
This agreement comes in line with Sustainable Development Goals No. 3 (“Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”) and UNDP’s Country Development Plan (CPD) which centers on strengthening institutions to progressively deliver universal access to basic services.  
An event celebrating the signing ceremony was organized at the Ministry of International Cooperation premises attended by UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Marta Reudas, UNDP Country Director Dr. Selva Ramachandran, the Italian Ambassador Fabrizio Lobasso, Director of the Italian Cooperation
H.E. State Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health Dr. Firdous Abdelrahman Yousif, Minister of International Cooperation Ambassador Idriss Suliman and Wali of Kassala State Mr.  Adam Gamaa.

Italian Ambassador Fabrizio Lobasso stated that “We are very much committed to providing maximum benefit to the greatest number of people in Sudan especially in the area of capacity building and transferring of knowledge in Eastern Sudan. We wish to reiterate our support to the people of Sudan in all of our development interventions and we highlight value the current cooperation between us and the Ministry of International Cooperation.

Minister of International Cooperation Ambassador Idriss Suliman “Medical Services are of significance importance to the state in line with our commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This project not only serves host communities in Eastern Sudan but also provides an important aid to the refugee camps present there. We would therefore wish to thank the Italian government and the Italian people for the  their generous contribution.”

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ms. Marta Ruedas addressed the ceremony where she hailed the Italian Agency for Development Corporation’s  Contribution to this project calling on greater partnership support for this project : “ This project  aims primarily to alleviate the suffering of many urban and rural populations that use the three hospitals of Port Sudan Teaching Hospital, Kassala Reference  Hospital and Gedaref General Hospital through the referral process. We are therefore looking forward to building more partnerships with potential donors to support these efforts for the benefit of the  people all across Sudan in line ; thus leaving no none behind.”
UNDP Country Director Dr. Selva Ramachandran further asserted that “This project is a culmination of a firm partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of International Cooperation that dates back to 2005. This successful collaboration stems from our commitment to health and development in Sudan which are two major pillars to our  development work in the country. The project not only involves, addressing the upgrade of infrastructural facilities but it also includes  capacity building of national counterpart systems and human resources through transfer of knowledge and technologies, hospital management skills building and the upgrading of the infrastructural facilities.”

Gradually developing the capacities of relevant national institutions, UNDP has since 2005 assisted the Ministry of Health in the provision of procurement support services as part of its strategy to strengthen institutions to deliver universal access to basic services in line with the SDG No. 3 “Ensure Healthy lives and promote well being for all at all ages.”

For media queries, kindly contact: UNDP Communications Analyst : Ms. Yusra Salim  email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   Tel: +249187122103