Khartoum, April 19, 2026 (SUNA) — The national programmes for reproductive health and child health concluded on Sunday at the Grand Hall of the Federal Ministry of Health in Khartoum the annual evaluation and planning meeting for state coordinators of reproductive and child health. The four-day meeting was held under the slogan “We continuously work for safe motherhood and healthy childhood.” Speaking at the closing session, Federal Minister of Health Professor Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim stated that mothers and children constitute 70% of the population, underscoring the necessity of ensuring optimal health services for them, improving their health status, and raising indicator levels, while engaging other relevant sectors, noting that the matter is not the responsibility of the health sector alone. He added: “We do what we can.” He further stated that significant achievements had been made in favour of maternal and child health during the war, commending the role of health cadres, particularly midwives, describing them as the first line of defence in reducing mortality rates. The Minister directed that priorities be identified from the set of recommendations for implementation on the ground, announcing arrangements for an expanded meeting on the child mortality reduction project in Sudan through multi-sectoral interventions, in cooperation with relevant bodies, with the participation of international, UN, and national organizations as well as experts. He affirmed the state’s strong commitment to reducing mortality rates, confirming efforts to reinstate the free services initiative for children under five years of age. He also noted the existence of several initiatives, pledging to transform ideas into implementable projects after proper structuring and distribution among the state, organizations, agencies, and others. Director of the General Directorate of Primary Health Care, Dr. Musab Siddiq, congratulated participants on the success of the meeting, held at the ministry headquarters on Nile Street in Khartoum, which he said gave it a significant advantage. He noted the designation of April 20 as “National Health Day,” and affirmed the Minister’s and Undersecretary’s commitment to all matters related to maternal and child health. For her part, Director of Maternal and Child Health, Dr. Asmahan Al-Khair, highlighted the strong support from the ministry’s leadership for maternal and child health, noting efforts to mobilize coordinators to become agents of change capable of transforming challenges into opportunities for success. She announced technical support, empowerment, and resource provision to enable this transformation. Dr. Asmahan Al-Khair also read out several recommendations of the meeting, including maintaining coordinators, activating higher committees—particularly those concerned with reducing maternal and child mortality rates—supporting the integrated services strategy, and improving service quality, while expressing appreciation to the organizers and coordinators. The closing session witnessed the honoring of several figures in recognition of their contributions to maternal and child health.BH/BH