Saturday 18th February 2017  (13:30-16:45), University Square Stratford – Stratford

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Target audience Academic, health and medical professionals, research, youth, NGOs, civil society groups, businesses, and other stakeholders.

The world Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. For a country like Sudan to  achieve this holistic approach to  health and wellbeing, there is a need to adopt a whole system approach to planning. This debate will discuss challenges of having a fragmented health care system and proposes solutions to addressing  those challenges, including how health is influenced and can influence other social, cultural and behavioural factors and systems in a resource constraint, geographically diverse country like the Sudan. The debate will also cover lessons learnt from the UK health and social care systems and proposes an adapted models culturally and economically suitable to the  Sudan.

The seminar will also discuss issues around health finance and economics. As defined by the WHO, Health Financing is concerned with how financial resources are generated, allocated and used in health systems. It is a fundamental part of any future health reform or policy formulation and implementation, particularly in the current economic upheavals and constraints. It is equally important for both low and high-income countries alike – whether the health system is governmentally funded such as in the UK, or business led such as in the US. Health finance in Sudan has more significance; as the health system is insurance-based, which is managed by the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). Despite establishing the NHIF, the country still has a long way to go – particularly having one of the highest Out of Pocket Spending (OOPS) from its Total Health Expenditure (THE) at 70%. A reform towards health finance policies that guarantee efficiency, affordability and increase population health coverage are crucial and much needed.  

Sudan is at a crossroads facing many crisis and vulnerabilities such as economic and monetary crisis; nearly half of Sudanese live below the poverty line and 3 million children starving; wars and fighting in most parts of Sudan including Darfur; health inequalities with high prices for medicine; deteriorating education system; immigration and terrorism; environmental problems particularly energy including the loss of more than 70% of oil resources in Sudan following the declaration of South Sudan independent in 2011; high levels of unemployment particularly among the youth; international sanctions led by the US; and many other problems and challenges. Faced with all of these problems, it is not surprising that for many people it is becoming very hard to be optimistic about Sudan’s future. Watch last debate on Sudan “SUDAN AT A CROSSROADS: Towards a Vision for the Future & Youth Empowerment”

Moreover, the debate which is a follow up on the Third International Diaspora Conference held at the University of East London in the period 25-26 July 2016, is an excellent opportunities to report the various views and contribution of the Sudanese Diaspora in the UK and other parts of the world on the future development of their country of origin. It is hoped that the debate will be a good opportunity for students, researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, ordinary citizen to reflect on the recent situation in Sudan. Therefore the main aim of this debate is to ensure Sudan is benefiting from its Diaspora (particularly youth) towards the vision for the future and involve them directly in formulating the objectives and desired outcomes of any policy, and the best means of achieving them in Sudan.