The National Center for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases has remained firmly committed to localizing liver transplantation over the past decade. Through sustained efforts, the Center established the necessary infrastructure for liver transplantation and provided comprehensive training for the workforce in this field. These efforts culminated in the successful completion of two liver transplant operations at Ibn Sina Center for Gastrointestinal Diseases.
Key achievements of this project include:
🟩 Utilization of a well-trained, integrated multidisciplinary team that has successfully localized liver surgery and hepatobiliary and pancreatic tumor surgeries since 2017. This initiative significantly reduced the cost of overseas treatment, which previously amounted to at least USD 2 million annually. The Center now provides these services routinely and free of charge through the Free Treatment Program and the Unified Treatment Program, with support from the Federal Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance and National Economy.
🟩 Continuation of the training program at the Center, emphasizing the importance of an integrated team. Several staff members were sent to India—specifically to Rela Hospital for Liver Transplantation—for specialized training in various fields, including nutrition, laboratories, blood bank services, pathology, liver surgery, anesthesia, nursing, operating room preparation, and pharmacy. These training periods ranged from two to four weeks. In addition, the Center participated in the First World Conference of the Egyptian Liver Transplantation Society with a delegation of 10 participants, including three liver surgery consultants, an anesthesia consultant, a clinical medicine consultant, a radiology consultant, a liver transplant coordinator nurse, a clinical nutrition specialist, and a pathology consultant.
🟩 The visit of the working team to the liver transplantation center in India, along with participation in the World Conference of the Egyptian Liver Transplantation Society, played a major role in boosting morale. These activities are expected to have a positive impact on retaining medical staff committed to continuing medical education. Such efforts contribute significantly to implementing the Center’s plan to provide liver transplantation services routinely, localize these services, and achieve the goal of establishing the Center as a regional hub serving Sudan and neighboring countries.
