The Sudanese Doctors Union in the United Kingdom and Ireland (SDU-UK&I) was founded in 1976. Since then, it has taken on different shapes and forms but the core philosophy at the heart of the organisation remained unchanged. This is a total commitment to the welfare of its members and their families during their stay outside Sudan, irrespective of their social and ethnic backgrounds, academic achievements and their political affiliations.
We are proud and honored to remain the only democratic representatives of the Sudanese healthcare workers in the Diaspora, voicing their views and challenging the policy makers on health and related issues in Sudan. Moreover, since the dissolution of the main SDU body after the 1989 coup, we have been acting as the only democratic voice for the doctors and the patients inside and abroad while continued in our efforts to re-institute the legitimacy of our Trade Union back home.
There has been a misperception in the past, sometimes maliciously circulated by certain people that our union’s agenda is political and that SDU is a platform from which opposing political views are launched against the government in Sudan.
Let us reassure everybody today that we are not affiliated to any political party. We have always acted on the principals of complete neutrality, impartiality and non-partisanship and focused solely on the overall well-being of the individuals, physically, mentally, socially and economically.
We continued to lobby for the right of each individual to have access to a sustainable and affordable healthcare service that is equitable and responsive to his / her social needs. We have always called for a comprehensive healthcare service delivery to all people with uniform equity regardless of their ethnic origin, gender or belief with special emphasis on the deprived areas and the vulnerable and marginalized groups.
The union charter also highlights the strong and undivided links between medical ethics and human rights. Human rights are those inalienable rights, which transcend political boundaries, ideologies and religious faith. The universal declaration of the human rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948 embodied the rights relating to personal liberty, security, family and faith.
Medical professional ethics on the other hand is a codified guide regulating the behavior of the medical professionals in their dealing with patients and with each other. Both have at their heart certain understanding of the value of the human individuals and their rights to be treated with dignity and respect. This is why we believe that all healthcare workers should actively reinforce the human rights and to be involved in any campaign that promotes and protects them.
These are our basic political views and we invite you today to join us in our stance for the unity of all the healthcare workers and for a dignified healthcare system in Sudan that addresses the needs of the individual and a work environment that caters for both the patient and the worker. We need to encourage the politicians and the policy makers in Sudan to bring the health of the Nation to the fore, treating it as an essential priority in the post-war era. We need to help them to see that the prosperity of the country could only be achieved when the individual’s health needs are met, the community’s welfare is fulfilled and the nation’s equality and dignity is achieved.
In spite of the continuous efforts of some of our colleagues back home, sadly malpractice and poor quality of care continued to thrive. We believe that this situation cannot be rectified without a major and radical reform of the medical practice in Sudan. We are sure you will agree that this cannot be achieved without the restoration and the safeguard of all democratic rights including the democratisation and complete independence of the entire medical and the academic institutions including an independent and accountable General Medical Council.
We believe that together we could harness and mobilise the wealth of experience and knowledge acquired by the healthcare workers practicing abroad. Together and working with our colleagues back home, we could assist in the rehabilitation of these institutes to ensure a high quality, affordable and equitable healthcare in Sudan.
Through our Specialists Associations you can contribute in supporting your colleagues academically and professionally to actively promote a culture of good medical practice, based on respect of the patients, delivering an ethical and evidence-based service through continues professional development, research and training.
To support each other in the Diaspora, you are more than welcomed to join in our regular social functions which help to inject a bolus of “Sudanism” in our lives abroad. This proved over the years to be of great assistant in keeping our sanity intact and empowered us to weather the difficult storms encountered away from our home land.
Your children are also able to feel part of this community by taking part in “The Junior Club”. This helps to strengthen our children’s friendships, deepens their sense of belonging and encourages them to be proud to be Sudanese and part of a functional and unified community.
Let us put our hands together and fulfill our aspirations and our nation’s expectations. Let us together continue on the footsteps of generations of Sudanese doctors who over the years successfully managed to make a real impression on our country’s development and cemented the traditions of patriotism and impartiality on academic pursuit.
Sudan Doctors Union-UK and Ireland, 19 Yallop Avenue, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, NR31 6HD. Phone: tbc Email:sdusec@hotmail.co.uk
