About Relief International

Relief International (RI) specializes in emergency services and development programmes that help fragile countries or communities suffering from recurrent man-made or natural crises. Operational in 16 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, Relief International’s over 7 300 staff and volunteers work to meet the ever-changing needs following political instability, forced displacement, and natural disasters. Relief International works with local partners and enhances governments’ technical expertise to create sustainable programmes. In recognition of the complexity of human needs, their programmes are multisectoral and cut across Education, Health and Nutrition, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), and Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) and mainstream Protection and Gender considerations throughout all activities.

Relief International in action

Relief International first began operations in Sudan in 2004, in response to the emergency in North Darfur and has since expanded to East Darfur and Blue Nile states. Relief International established or rehabilitated 42 facilities where their staff provide support such as: essential Primary Health Care services; sexual and reproductive health services; treatment and control of communicable diseases; mental health services; capacity-building on primary health services; rehabilitation of health facilities; and provision of essential drugs and immunizations. In 2020, Relief International trained 1,133 healthcare providers and conducted 409 718 healthcare consultations. In Blue Nile state, Relief International was one of the first international organizations to begin offering support to the health systems after many years of conflict. By training and working through a network of dedicated community-based volunteers, Relief International reinforces the link between communities and health services in the three states.

Managing COVID-19 cases among Tigray refugees in Sudan

To respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, Relief International supported the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) to establish five COVID-19 isolation facilities in North Darfur by training staff, rehabilitating the facilities, and stocking the facilities with equipment, medicines and diagnostics. During the first wave of COVID-19 in Sudan in May and June 2020, these facilities managed 145 COVID-19 cases that were referred from community and other health workers. Once the facilities were up and running well, Relief International organized a handover to the SMoH in October 2020, which continue to be fully functional for COVID-19 management.

In early November 2020, military confrontations between federal and regional forces in northern Ethiopia sparked a major humanitarian crisis. In just three months, over 60 000 people fled Ethiopia to seek safety in neighboring Sudan. As of 18 February 2021, a total of 20 572 refugees had been permanently relocated to the Um Rakuba camp in Gedaref state, reaching its maximum capacity. While the overall refugee response is led by UNHCR, the health needs of the refugee populations are addressed by the health and nutrition working groups active in each camp and the Sudan Health Cluster and partners are often engaged to provide technical advice, referrals outside the camps, medical supplies and other specialized support. One of the key challenges in Um Rakuba camp was to guarantee basic health care services, given the existing extreme stress that Sudan’s health system was under prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to further strain.

Relief International established a primary healthcare unit (PHCU) on 7 December 2020 in response to the needs for basic health services at the Um Rakuba camp. Since the establishment of this clinic, Relief International staff have cared for 2 071 patients, 79% of whom were refugees and 21% were Sudanese patients from the host community. “As an active Health Cluster member, Relief International has made a strong impact in bringing essential health services to hard-to-reach populations in several conflict-affected states by working hand-in-hand with other cluster partners,” shared the Sudan Health Cluster Coordinator, Kais Aldairi. This clinic complements the health sector work of Health Cluster partners Médecins Sans Frontières, Mercy Corps and Ascend Charity UK. National partners are also contributing to the response on the ground, as the Sudan Family Planning Association that is supporting the sexual and reproductive health area of work with their local knowledge and field presence.

The State Ministry of Health (SMoH) and the WHO report that there have been four positive COVID-19 cases and zero COVID-19 deaths at the Um Rakuba camp as of 18 February 2021, with 63 close contacts quarantined and isolated. UNHCR and the SMoH assembled a rapid response team, including Relief International, to respond to the threat in the camp. All confirmed and suspected cases were supported by this team to self-isolate in individual shelters while partners on the ground ensured regular monitoring of health changes and all food was provided for until a full recovery was made. Relief International was designated by the rapid response team for outreach, monitoring and service provision in the Zone 1 extension of the camp. Relief International also supported by hosting training sessions on the proper handling of COVID-19 samples during transport and directly transported COVID-19 samples to laboratories in the town of Gedaref, roughly 75 km from the camp. This swift response by health sector partners to provide for basic measures in a very resources-scarce setting mitigated the risk of what could have been rapid spreading of COVID-19 in a high-density camp setting. The sub-national health and nutrition working group based in Gadaref was formed to further support the operational coordination in the field and is supported by the Sudan Health Cluster in planning, fundraising, reporting and logistics.

At the moment, a major outstanding challenge is that suspected COVID-19 cases are still being rejected by local health care facilities. An isolation center is being established in the camp to accommodate both positive and suspected cases. Relief International calls on health partners to join them in scaling up community awareness and in-clinic infection prevention and control measures. Furthermore, the approaching rainy season could bring about new challenges as the camp is located in flood-prone areas. In anticipation, the Health Cluster and UNHCR are developing an inter-sectoral plan to mitigate the effects of the rainy season.

Relief International is a member of the Sudan Health Cluster at both the national level and the sub-national hubs in North Darfur, East Darfur and Blue Nile. “Relief International values the Health Cluster platform as a way to collaborate more closely with other humanitarian partners, particularly through the 3 W assessments (who does what and where) to prevent duplication of efforts.” Shared Dr Nazar Hassan, Health Officer at Relief International, continuing “Relief International contributed to the national strategy in Sudan through a project funded by the Sudan Humanitarian Fund.”