SAMA Advocating for Learning in the Midst of Conflict

Since war began in Sudan on 15 April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese American Medical Association (SAMA) has been in the forefront of humanitarian medical aid in Sudan, embodying its mission as an educational and humanitarian organisation dedicated to improving the health and well-being of communities through services, capacity building and education.

Since its establishment in 2008, SAMA has been incorporated to enhance health and well-being of the communities. Despite the unsettling circumstances in Sudan, SAMA’s commitment to advancing medical knowledge and improving healthcare outcomes remains steadfast.

SAMA’s educational programmes began in 2013, with faculty traveling from the US to Sudan to deliver impactful learning sessions. By 2017, SAMA established an office in Khartoum, significantly expanding its educational activities. These programmes have been crucial in improving healthcare practices for health professionals.

The outbreak of the conflict in Khartoum in April 2023 posed severe obstacles. Yet, SAMA’s resolve did not waver. In honour of co-founder Dr Bushra Ibnauf Suliman, who lost his life during the war, the Dr Bushra Ibnauf Centre for Learning was established in Port Sudan. This centre has maintained its educational activities without interruption, demonstrating extraordinary resilience in the face of adversity.

Relocation of SAMA’s operations to Port Sudan, ensured the continuity of crucial programmes like Project ECHO, which employs an “All Teach, All Learn” approach, facilitating real-time knowledge exchange between experts and learners. A second learning centre opened in Juba, South Sudan in July 2024, further extending Project ECHO’s reach. This expansion is part of SAMA’s audacious plan, in partnership with Project ECHO, to establish an ECHO Super Hub in Sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative will impact countries in the region by disseminating learning activities and providing direct support to establish more ECHO programmes.

Since the outbreak of the war, three ECHO programmes have been successfully conducted. The Dental School ECHO programme impacted more than 200 healthcare professionals and engaged nearly 20 subject matter experts (SMEs) in its learning models. Another successful programme, the Trauma ECHO, was dedicated to frontline workers managing trauma cases during wartime, engaging more than 140 learners and 17 SMEs, including those in hospitals from conflict zones. Recently, SAMA concluded the Infectious Disease ECHO, which was established at the Dr Bushra Ibnauf Center for Learning in South Sudan. This programme profoundly impacted 156 healthcare professionals managing common infectious diseases in the region and engaged 10 SMEs. These ECHO programmes have reached more than 25 countries, demonstrating their significant regional impact.

SAMA has been using cutting-edge technology to further improve learning experiences for learners. Through partnerships, including with the Virtual Reality in Medicine and Surgery (VRiMS) group and simulation-based education (SBE) group, SAMA is integrating extended reality (XR) and simulation-based training into its learning products. These technologies address the scarcity of training resources and provide immersive learning experiences for learners. The SBE training is currently engaging over 20 healthcare professionals in its first cohort, offering an invaluable learning experience in different medical specialties that is often lacking in current medical training systems. The VRiMS programme is currently under development to establish a permanent XR hub that will provide direct training to learners at various levels of expertise at SAMA learning centres.

Moreover, workshops in Anaesthesiology and Critical Care at the Dr Bushra Ibnauf Centre for Learning have been successfully conducted, followed by hands-on clinical training for specialty residents in the public hospitals in Port Sudan, enhancing their skills in real-world settings. These impactful programmes trained more than 80 medical residents working in the public hospitals in Sudan joined by 14 SMEs. Recently, a partnership with Arizona State University has led to offering an accredited English learning programme for both general and academic audiences, more than 10 undergraduate and postgraduate learners started enrolling in these courses.

Looking to the future, SAMA plans to expand and deepen its educational programmes. By forging new partnerships and continuing to innovate, SAMA aims to address the evolving needs of healthcare professionals in Sudan and Sub-Saharan Africa. The organisation remains dedicated to enhancing healthcare education and fostering professional growth, ensuring that its impact endures despite the ongoing conflicts.

Dr Omer Abdalla Marzoug, a graduate of Faculty of Medicine at the University of Khartoum (UoK) , is a medical doctor and committed community servant in the public health sector. Currently based in Port Sudan as the Director of Operations and Learning Programmes at the Sudanese American Medical Association (SAMA), Dr Omer oversees crucial educational and operational initiatives. With extensive experience in both public health and civil society organisations, he is dedicated to advancing impactful health programmes and enhancing community wellness.