Khartoum: afroshongir
Corona (Covid 19) pandemic that struck the entire world and became an obsession that worries all countries, not only the poor but also the developed and rich, as the pandemic placed these countries in front of the challenges and a difficult test to confront its aftermath, as all countries dedicated most of their capabilities and energy to confine its spread, but the virus began to spread fast and effective to create more burden and pressure on these countries. The virus, of course, did not exclude Sudan, where cases appeared to increase, and according to epidemiological reports of the Federal Ministry of Health in Sudan, the number of confirmed cases until today is more than (100) cases.
In light of the difficult circumstances that Sudan is going through, and the critical economic conditions after the glorious December revolution, Sudan seemed to manage the crisis more coherent, with popular and official efforts, as the government represented in the Ministry of Health (Epidemiology Department) raced time to provide advice and guidance, while taking the necessary measures that started with imposing curfew from eight o’clock and then from six o’clock due to the appearance more cases until six o’clock in the morning . Last weak the authorities decided to impose a total curfew . In addition to the official efforts , initiatives recurred from all groups; business sectors and civil society organizations, even the entire public participated in it, and everyone played a considerable role.
The political parties did not lag behind participating in the fight against the pandemic. The parties provided cleaners and sterilizers. There were those who assumed the roles of awareness and guidance. Everyone seemed ready for the success of the awareness campaigns and limiting the spread of the virus despite the weak capabilities.
Business owners and the private sector, through social responsibility, were present in all their configurations to face the corona’s consequences, as the Sudanese General Employers Union launched a special initiative with the participation of its members and employees in the private sector across their different sectors in the private sector to support national efforts to limit the spread of the Corona epidemic that spread in most of the world’s nations.
The Chairman of the Steering Board of the Employers’ Federation, Eng. Hashem Salah Matar, confirmed that after the organization of the first influx of businessmen, companies and institutions in the presence and participation of the Supreme Committee for Health Emergencies to Face the Corona Virus that witnessed donations amounting to (240)m Sudanese pounds, to support the health sector efforts to address and ward off the corona pandemic, affirmed the continuation and continuity in organizing more campaigns and prompting its membership in the sectoral state federations and specialized chambers in order to provide material and cash support that enables the authorities to overcome the crisis of the corona pandemic.
Matar announced that the federation will adopt sponsorship of aunified platform that brings together all private sector initiatives that amount to twenty initiatives to support health efforts to ward off the corona pandemic, revealing that in the same time the federation’s contribution to providing in-kind support that contributed to equipping part of the Universal Hospital in a constant support and equipping the Jabra Hospital with full accessories to be at the disposal of the Supreme Emergency Committee, in addition to cash support for thousands of families including foodstuffs.The federation is working for the rehabilitation of Al-Rajhi Hospital with more than 20 billion pounds, coverage of the needs of Sudan’s hospitals of antiseptics, great support for the Jabra Hospital in Khartoum, and considerable support for a Bahri hospital and joint work with young people of Resistance of the Kalakla part and to spread sterilizers in transportation terminals in Bahri City, and providing a pesticide spray plane ready for work awaiting instructions and another initiative in order to urge the population to stay in their homes and contribute to tackling the problem of homeless children of Sudan.
In this regard, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce announced continued efforts to provide material and in-kind support to prevent and combat the corona pandemic that swept the countries of the world and prevent its spread in the country in coordination and cooperation with specialized chambers.
The Secretary General of the Federation, Dr. Alawiya Ali Hussain, said that the principle of social responsibility for the private sector and since the emergence of the repercussions of the pandemic globally remained present as the Secretariat initiated in communication with the Emergency Committee and Technical Committees of the Ministry of Health to learn about urgent interventions required to confront the corona virus and the needs of the centers of accommodation, isolation, medical checking and means of transportation. Dr. Alawiya announced the readiness to contribute to provide support for awareness and prevention in the capital and states.
Hussein also emphasized coordination and harmony between the specialized chambers of the Union to provide the requirements required by the Ministry of Health and the willingness to participate in the national effort, at the same time the launch of a number of complementary initiatives within the framework of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce in coordination with the official bodies and official specialized committees and various platforms to confront pandemic corona, pointing to the launch of the National Chamber of Importers’ initiative that launched its media campaign as a qualitative initiative aimed at intensifying societal awareness of the dangers of corona in specialized ways among the societies of the elderly, and Deaf, dumb, peripheral and market clusters, along with the distribution of assistive devices, protective tools and sterilizers, as well as efforts made through specialized committees to launch the National Chamber of Exporters’ initiative and the Economic Services Chamber to provide material, in-kind and cash support to ward off the corona virus.
One of the most powerful initiatives accomplished by the Sudanese employers’ assembly was the inauguration of the sterilization device at the end of last week, which was made by Aweel Air Conditioners Company owned by Adil. The device works to sterilize (180) people within an hour, which is considered a unique technology and a breakthrough that can be used in public assemblies and transportation stations which contributes to reducing the spread of the virus. In order to join efforts, the initiative established joined headquarter in the Friendship Hall building.
The National Chambers Initiative for Importers is not second to its counterparts , but it is in top place as it sponsored awareness and guidance through the involvement of drama activists and artists who have more impact on citizens, as the National Chamber of Importers launched on April 9-20, its national campaign of awareness and preventive measures against the emerging Covid 19 virus, under the slogan “Sudan has Called Us”.
In the context, the Department of Importers of Electrical Appliances and Equipment in Al-Hurriya Street( Khartoum), made a great effort represented in financial and in-kind support for Al-Rajihi Hospital in Umbaddah, at a cost of about 20 billion pounds, while the Chemicals Division began spraying sterilizers on a number of transportation stations in Khartoum North, pointing out that a spray plane is provided and available to carry on instructions for beginning air spraying.
The department also worked to distribute foodstuffs to some families in Khartoum and to continue its efforts in providing financial support to incapable families.
In this regard, a member of the Chamber of Importers , Al-Moez Abdel Rahim Eiessa, said that the initiative is the beginning of a major work to come to meet the challenges of the pandemic, stressing that it will continue to support the initiative until the stage of the final elimination of this pandemic in Sudan.
The musician Othman El-Naw assured that what the Chamber of Importers did through the initiative, has a strong message for social relations that developed in the concepts of civil volunteering and that the initiative brought them together with some segments of society that were far from them, announcing that the presentation of a number of musical works that the Sudanese citizen will see and hear about the Chamber’s initiative National importers that supported all business phases.Meanwhile a number of activists called for the need to take care of the displaced children of as a result of economic conditions or war .
On the same steps of the Union and the Chambers of the Employers and the main Union, goes on the Exporters’ Chamber, the most important arms of the union Chambers because of its associates concern with the export and free currency They were the first to call before all the Chambers and other unions of the employers to collect an urgent initial donation from the exporters For (10) million pounds under the slogan “Exporters for the National Initiative” to ward off the Corona pandemic. The donation was presented by the Exporters’ Chamber to the Chairman of the Corona Pandemic Fighting Committee.
Mohammad Abbas, one of the exporters, assured (afroshongir) that the exporters’ initiative was one of the first initiatives when Corona cases appeared in Sudan, where the exporters scrambled the first donation by (10) million pounds, while a second donation of another (10) million pounds is due to make the total donation of ( 20) million pounds.
Mohammad Abbas said that Sudan’s exporters are an integral part of the defense line and part of protecting the homeland, pointing out that their initiatives included a number of slogans, e.g “Together, one hand to roll the corona off the land of revolutions” next to “and because we adore homeland for free, together to protect its proud people.” It also carried their slogans: “Your contribution supports prevention”. “Together for a healthy homeland”. “An appeal by Sudan’s exporters to defeat corona from Sudan”
In the bearing, The Mamoun Al-Berair Group announced its support to the National Fund to tackle the Corona Virus epidemic, at 10 million Sudanese pounds.
The member of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Health Emergencies, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Jaber, commended the support provided by the group of companies, Mamoun Al-Berair, to the National Fund to address the Corona epidemic.
The representative of the Board of Directors, Mamoun Saud Mamoun Al-Berair, confirmed that the group’s support comes within its responsibility work
The representative of the Board of Directors, Mamoun Saa’ud Mamoun Al-Berair, stressed that the support of the group comes within its work in the field of social responsibility and to support the national stand for the people of Sudan and in the framework of concerted official and popular efforts to overcome the conditions that the country is going through. He added that the support is an amount of 10 million Sudanese pounds, half of which is cash support and the other half is 50 thousand kilograms of soap and disinfectants for the sterilization campaign in Khartoum State.
When meeting with his office in the Republican Palace, Jaber praised the delegation of the group’s board of directors, headed by Mamoun Saa’ud Mamoun Al-Berair, for the Sudanese people’s response, contributions and support to tackle the Corona pandemic. Initiatives by businessmen and entrepreneurs continued, as the tires importers’ Department headed by Ahmed Al Mahi, during his meeting with the Vice-President of the Supreme Committee for Health Emergency at the Presidential Palace, Professor Sadik Tawor, donated four million pounds to support the efforts of the committee to fight Corona.
The head of the Department, Ahmed Al-Mahi, said in a press statement that the donation comes in response to the national need to provide the necessary materials for the Corona pandemic Combating, which he described as the global catastrophe, expressing their willingness to provide more support in the future, calling on everyone to provide more support to combat Corona.
At the political parties’ level, the Sudanese Congress Party, a component of the Forces for Freedom and Change, in , a prompted action, produced tens of thousands of hand antiseptic packages and distributed them freely to neighborhood citizens to protect them from “Covid 19”.
On the other hand, the government’s efforts to support the defeat of the Corona epidemic did not depend only on awareness-raising operations, training, and instructions besides distributing sterilizers and other preventives and preventive measures, as the Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan, Professor Badr Al-Deen Abdel-Rahim Ibrahim, inspected the precautionary and preventive measures that the Central Bank undertook to confront the emerging corona virus. He directed the subordinates to take the necessary measures to protect the employees of the Central Bank together with the public dealing with the central treasury, and the Khartoum branches.
The Governor listened to the complaints of the branch employees and examined the problems facing the sorting of damaged banknotes that are considered vectors.
The Governor issued a set of decisions that enhance occupational safety and health in order to avoid the risks of the virus and to preserve the human cadre and the dealers’ public, while a permanent committee has been formed in the Khartoum branch to follow up the necessary precautions to prevent spreading of corona virus . The same measures will be taken in the branches of the Bank of Sudan in the states. The governor announced a set of guidelines that have been circulated to banks operating in the country.
Whereas, the Sudanese Organization for Standardization and Metrology adopted a program to raise awareness of the corona virus for workers and dealers with the aim of contributing to their protection and to reduce injuries and outbreaks of the disease, as sterilizers, masks, and messages were sent out to raise awareness.
In the same direction, the Minister of Industry and Trade (Khartoum State) in charge, Abu Bakr Muhammad Nur Mahjoub, in a broad meeting directed the directors of the relevant departments of the Ministry, which was attended by representatives of the Employers Association (Khartoum State), the Federation of Industrial Chambers and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, to form working teams to follow up and publish awareness of the disease in markets and regions in coordination with the Ministry of Health (Khartoum State) and in the seven localities as well. The meeting stressed the importance of the Consumer Protection Department in following up markets, display and sale operations, and organizing markets, and the importance of services to be provided in the targeted areas and immediate notification of any suspected cases to the Central Chamber and work to open corridors and streets in the markets. The meeting secured the importance of forming joint work teams by the Ministry of Health and various localities with the teams of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and renewing its permanent workplaces during the coming period until the situation is cleared.
The Federal Minister of Health, Akram Ali Al-Toam, was clear, as he publically appears from time to time to announce the cases and issue the report on cases in Sudan and the situation in general.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Akram El-Toam, told Reuters that Sudan needs about $ 120 million urgently to fight the new corona virus, in light of the shortage of supplies to fight the epidemic. Until last tueseday, Sudan had recorded 92 confirmed cases of corona virus, including twelve deaths, but the Minister of Health said that Sudan, in its current situation, would not be able to deal with any major spread. The minister added that Sudan suffers from a shortage of breathing apparatus and protective clothing for health personnel and examination devices.
He pointed out that Sudan received a number of medical equipment from parties abroad, and said, “We have promises to receive $ 13 million, including donations from expatriates , but Sudan’s placement on the American terrorist list is hindering the arrival of these donations to the Ministry of Health to help fight corona.” The Minister of Health said that his ministry recommended imposing a “complete lockdown ” of the capital, Khartoum, for at least three weeks, establishing more quarantine centers, and increasing the capacity to examine people in Khartoum roundabouts and the rest of Sudan. The minister added that he expected to issue a new health emergency law on Sunday.
In the context, the liberated areas in the Nuba Mountains, which are under the control of the People’s movement ,led by Abdul Aziz Al-Helou, in Southern Kordofan, organized an emergency chamber to confront the Corona pandemic in the regions. Comrade Toto Turkash, Secretary of Health of the Civil Authority of the New Sudan, had previously indicated that arrangements had been completed to confront the virus in the region.
While a training course was recently held at the University of Kush in the Nuba Mountains, the liberated lands, to train and equip its students in the College of Higher Nursing to prepare for the current situation to confront the corona Covid virus-19 with the assistance of Sudan Sunrise Organization in USA , the contribution of Dr. Tom Preacher and Professor Juma’a Saif Al-Deen and the contribution of the Nuba Mountains citizens abroad.
As part of the efforts of the High Coordination Committee to ward off the Corona pandemic and under the guidance of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Defense Department against Weapons of Mass Destruction, in cooperation with the Defense Industries System and the Health and Emergency Administration with the Medical Force, organized a disinfection and sterilization campaign against the covid19 virus at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers where the campaign covered all offices and yards Besides checking workers in the Secretariat for high temperature.
It is noteworthy that the campaign that started on Friday, 27 March, aims to sterilize and disinfect all military, civilian and military facilities, institutions and units in the capital and states using sterile materials (sulfuric sodium and ethanol) and other effective disinfectants to reduce the spread of Corona virus and protect citizens.
The Sudanese revolution had a clear impact on the public street, and just as the revolutionaries were enhancing the street with many of their creations, by chanting slogans or cheering, creative initiatives again showed up in Sudan to curb the new Corona virus “Covid 19”, after it had previously succeeded in inflaming revolutionary enthusiasm.
The Sudanese scene is witnessing intense initiatives, some of which are symbiotic, the other is creative and awareness, and embodies the reality of the situation during the days of the people’s uprising. In a specific symbiosis, activists launched the “Stay in your house, your bursary will reach you ” initiative, inviting citizens to remain in the home quarantine, provided that activists will provide financial support to vulnerable individuals and families so that they can meet their living costs.
This gesture was linked by some to the initiative “If you have donate, if you do not have then take ” that the revolution youth launched in the sit-in area in front of the army headquarter in Khartoum.
Ammar Muhammad, one of the activists in “Stay in your Home” initiative, says that they are working to collect donations from the benevolent to help the vulnerable and low-income groups in order to encourage them to stay at home so that they may not get infected with the virus, indicating that they rely on the mechanism of direct contact with tea and food sellwomen and small business owners and provide them with the appropriate amounts as much as they earn from their daily and monthly work, so that they can stay in their homes.
Initiatives not only depended on logistical assistance, but also extended to inspire more literature from the Sudanese revolution in raising community awareness of the dangers of corona through direct loudspeakers, and “resistance committees” within residential neighborhoods in the capital Khartoum and other cities are active in guiding citizens in preventive and preventive ways to confront Corona and provide Sterilizers.
