European Union and Italy: Launching of HealthPro project in North and South Darfur funded by the EU for a total amount of 15 Meuro

The EU funded project HealthPro targeting North and South Darfur for a total amount of 15 Meuro has been launched today at the presence of the Federal Minister of Health Dr. Osama Abd Elrahim, the European Ambassador Robert Van Den Dool the Italian Ambassador Gianluigi Vassallo and North and South Darfur Ministries of Health respectively Mujtaba El Tigani and Rehab.

The project in line with the EU humanitarian-development-peace Nexus Action approach in Sudan – fostering the transition from humanitarian aid to a sustainable health system - promotes durable solutions for displacement-affected communities and access to quality health services in target localities in North and South Darfur. The initiative strengths the different building blocks of the decentralised health system, sustaining democratic inclusion and community participation for a sustainable development.

The AICS Head of Office – Vincenzo Racalbuto – recalled that Sudan health services accessibility at community and facility level is still limited and less than 40% of the health facilities provide minimum health care package, maternal mortality rate is still unacceptable high and undernutrition can dramatically undermine the future productive generation of youth. It is, thus, against this challenging backdrop that EU-Italy and Sudan commit themselves. We believe that a sustainable and inclusive growth requires investment in the main component of human development, argued Vincenzo Racalbuto.

The initiative is a real contribution to stability during the present transitional process in Darfur. We are strongly committed to support our Italian and Goal partners to provide equitable accessible care to IDPs in their new residential areas and to host communities, echoed jointly the Ministries of North and South Darfur.