Port sudan: Federal Minister of Health, Professor Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, Tuesday presided over the conclusion of the 'Community First Responder for Emergencies' (CFAR) trainers' workshop at Port Sudan Hospital. The event was attended by Acting Minister of Health in Red Sea State, Dr. Ahlam Abdel-Rasoul, ministry's directors of general directorates, officials from the National Agency for Emergency Care and Ambulance Services, and World Health Organization (WHO) representatives.
According to Sudan News Agency, Professor Ibrahim highlighted the state's commitment to saving lives, noting that fully activating the Emergency Care System (ECS) could cut mortality by up to 50%-25% through immediate community interventions and another 25% via pre-hospital ambulance systems. He officially announced the integration of the CFAR curriculum into the federal Primary Health Care (PHC) training packages, extending the programme from 15 to 18 days to ensure quality. This cohort will serve as the first group of certified trainers (ToT) to expand emergency care awareness across Sudan.
The Director of the National Agency for Emergency Care and Ambulance Services, Dr. Mohi-Eddin Hassan, emphasized that CFAR is the result of a partnership with WHO since 2015. Over 10,000 individuals have been trained, and more than 40 hospitals have received direct funding to strengthen emergency systems, making Sudan the first country in the region to implement the hospital strategy model with WHO support.
The CFAR model is built on three pillars: Community Care, Pre-Hospital Care, and Facility-Based Care, ensuring rapid and effective response at all stages of emergencies. The ceremony concluded with praise for the Red Sea State model and a commitment to continue training personnel in 11 states, securing sustainable emergency medical services amid Sudan's current exceptional challenges.