Sudan

A Muslim Country having more than one million Square Kilometers of land, having 37 million population was liberated in the year 1956. Eighty percent of its population is Muslim. Capital Khartoum consists of three cities separated by White Nile, Blue Nile and the Nile in Y pattern. White Nile originates from Victoria Lake-Uganda and Blue Nile from Ethiopia. Both join together in Khartoum and the main Nile is formed which travels all the way to Egypt and again divides in to two before it pours in the Mediterranean Sea. One tributary end at Alexandria and the other at Port Saeed. Khartoum, North Khartoum (Bahria) and Omdarman are the three cities which together form the capital. The population of the capital is 10 million. Sudan is divided in to 26 states.Darfur was one state previously but now this area is divided in to three states. These are North, South and West Darfur with the capital cities by the name of Al Fashir, Niala and Genine respectively.

Darfur:

These three states have borders with Libya, Chad and Central Africa. Population of Darfur is Six Million, all are Muslims and about Four millions are Nomads. These nomads travel across the border. The people living in Darfur permanently are farmers. These are mainly African origin and Nomads are mainly Arabic origin. Nomads have connections in Sudan and farmers have connection in Chad and other African Countries. When these nomads come to Sudan their animals spoil the fields so there is historic constant conflict between the tribes. They are fighting between each other since ancient times. The fighters coming across the border are called as Jangavids (Fighter on the horse).

Current Status of Ophthalmic Services:

For six million of population, Darfur has only three ophthalmic surgeons. Two in Niala, one in Fashir and nobody in Genine. North Darfur having population of 1.5 million with Fashir as the Capital has only one ophthalmologist . Fashir Eye Hospital is the teaching Hospital for the Fashir University with only one Ophthalmologist and four medical officers. This hospital has 40 beds and one operation theatre having facilities for general anesthesia. About 40 to 50 patients come in OPD of this hospital every day. About 300 Cataract surgeries are done per annum.

FIMA Medical Mission for Darfur:

FIMA sent two medical missions to darfur comprising of doctors from Jordan and South Africa in the months of October and December of 2004. The first mission was lead by the president of FIMA, Dr. Aly Mishal. These doctors provided medical services in different camps. Some surgical procedures were also done in the Hospital of AlFashir University. These missions gave the information that ophthalmic services are badly needed in this area. FIMA decided to launch an extended program of ophthalmic services for this area by the name of "FIMA Save Vision Campaign for Darfur". FIMA secretary was assigned this task.

FIMA Save Vision Campaign for Darfur:

The first two missions were organized in collaboration with PIMA and AlKhidmat Foundation. All the medicines and consumables along with instruments were arranged in Pakistan by the eye surgeons of PIMA for 550 surgeries. Coordination was done with IMA and Ministry of Health of Sudan. Teaching Eye Hospital of AlFashir was selected for this activity and ophthalmologist of that hospital was approached through IMA of Sudan who cooperated with his best.
The first team was comprised of two eye surgeons, Dr. Hafeez-ur-Rehman and Dr. Imran Azam Butt. This team left on 24th of Jan and came back on 6th of Feb 2005. They worked in the hospital for seven days.
The second team consisted of Dr. Intizar Hussain Butt and Dr. Abrar Khalid from Lahore. They left on 7th of February and came back on 16th of Februrary 2005. They also worked in the same hospital for seven days.
Excellent cooperation was seen fro IMA and health officials of Sudan. A total of 527 surgeries were conducted.

Conclusion:

These two teams worked for fourteen daysin the Fashir Eye Hospital.

• 3800 patients presented in the OPD.
• 527 patients were selected for surgery.
• 18 patients were operated under GA (All Children) and rest all under local Anesthesia.
• 497 Senile Cataracts.
• 13 Traumatic Cataracts.
• 1 Secondary IOL Implant.
• 6 Congenital Cataracts.
• 5 Primary Glaucoma.
• 3 Bupthalmos.
• 1 Dermoid Cyst.
• Trauma.

Out of 497 Senile Cataracts five were immature, 80 mature, 380 Hypermature and 32 were morgagnian cataracts.
Five patients had aphakia in other eye so simple ECCE without IOL was done. Only 2 patients has posterior capsular rupture and were implanted ACIOL.
490 were implanted PCIOL.

Complications:

2 patients had mild Iris Prolapse on the first post op day and were reposited successfully. 7 patients presented with mild to moderate Striate Keratitis. More frequent steroid instillation was prescribed and hopefully it will clear within a couple of days. Alhamdolillah no post operative infection of any sort seen in any patient. No significant post operative reaction seen in any patient. All prays and thanks to Allah SWT who helped us to successfully complete this task.

Future Plan:

Two more terms of several ophthalmologists from Pakistan, Jordan, Yemen South Africa and Malaysia shall be sent from 20th of March InshaAllah. This time camp will be organized in Genina- West Darfur. All the coordination and procurement of medicines and consumables shall be done in Pakistan by PIMA.