History and legacy

The department was established in early stage of the faculty. Obstetrics and Gynaecology department is one of the clinical departments. Historically it was situated in the center of the faculty facility between the basic medical sciences building and the Dean’s office then moved to its current place in the big building at west northern corner of the faculty. It occupies the first floor of the building shared by the Educational Development Centre. The first head of the department was Professor Lumsden. His successors were:

• Professor. Stern
• Dr. Asim Zaki
• Professor. Hadad Omer Karoum
• Professor. Hamid Roshwan
• Professor. Abdulsalam Gerais
• Dr. Hamid Abdulrahman Elnaeem
• Dr. Saad Mohamed Elfadil
• Dr. ElGoni Abdelrahim Radhi
• Dr. Mubarak Elbashir Alhamad
• Dr. Bashir Elgaili Mohamed Elimam
• Dr. Zaki Mustafa Salih Zaki
• Dr. Duria Abdulwahab Rayis

. Dr. Abdulmutalib Mohamed Ahmed Imam

. Dr. Abubakr Mohamed Ali Nasr

. Dr. Siddig Adam Ahmed Haroun (current)

Obstetrics is the branch of medicine dealing with the care of a woman and her unborn baby during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium. Gynaecology is the specialty dealing with the female reproductive system, the two (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) are often combined to form a single medical and surgical specialty that prepares the practicing OB/GYN to be adept at the surgical management of the entire scope of clinical pathology involving female reproductive system, and to provide care for both pregnant and non-pregnant patients.

Obstetrics and gynaecology includes the following subspecialties:

Maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) is the branch of obstetrics that focuses on the medical and surgical management of high-risk pregnancies. Management includes monitoring and treatment including comprehensive ultrasound, chorionic villus sampling, genetic amniocentesis, and fetal surgery or treatment. An obstetrician who practices maternal-fetal medicine sometimes is known as a perinatologist.

Gynecologic Oncology is a field of medical specialization which deals with the study and treatment of malignancies arising in the female reproductive tract. It deals with cancer and tumours arising from the ovary, endometrium, Fallopian tubes, cervix, vulva, vagina and trophoblastic disease.

Reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) is a surgical subspecialty of obstetrics and gynecology that addresses hormonal functioning as it pertains to reproduction. While a major focus of REI is infertility, reproductive endocrinologists also evaluate and treat hormonal dysfunctions in female and males outside of infertility. Reproductive surgeons operate on anatomical disorders that affect fertility. Reproductive endocrinologists have specialty training in obstetrics and gynecology before they undergo subspecialty training (fellowship) in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Urogynecology is the division that provides comprehensive evaluation and diagnostic testing in women with complex pelvic floor conditions including urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, genitourinary fistulas, and congenital anomalies.

Family planning is dealing with birth control including both female and contraception and sterilization.

Undergraduate Teaching:

The department is adopting the outcome based curriculum approved by the Faculty of Medicine.

Currently the teaching of medical students involves semesters nine to twelve. The department is involved in courses such as PHC and Emergency Medicine.

The teaching involves:

• Lectures: these are delivered by staff members, professors, associate professors and assistant professors. Obstetrics and gynecologic lectures are completed by the end of the fifth year.
• Tutorials: these are done in small groups for the final students taking their major shift in obstetrics and gynaecology.
• Seminars: These are delivered by the senior staff to the fifth and sixth year students
• Practical skills sessions: these are designed to teach the student the skills in basic and advanced obstetrics and gynaecological procedures. It is conducted on the skills laboratory using mannequins and other audiovisual aids.
• Clinical sessions: clerkship for fifth and sixth year students to help students deal and communicate with patients in real life. It involves discussion of most of the obstetrics and gynaecologic cases. Tutor guides and log books are used unify topic covered in the rounds and to ensure completion of curriculum.

Student assessment & evaluation

The assessment tools involve continuous evaluation, single best answer MCQs, structured short notes, OSPE & OSCE.

Continuous assessment for semesters 9&10 constitute 10% of the final examination.

All final examinations are assessed by external examiners.

Final examination: the written part of the exam is formed of multiple choice questions in the single best answer format in addition there are short answer question. It covers the entire syllabus. The practical part is in the form objectively structured projected examination (OSPE) and  Objectively Structured Clinical examination (OSCE) which is conducted at examination center at Soba university hospital. The department has an examination committee responsible for preparation of the different parts of the examination. All the department members contribute to the examination preparation.

Each year an external examiner is chosen at departmental meeting either from within the country or outside to evaluate the process of the examination.

Clinical and other departmental activities:

• As part of social accountability commitment of the faculty of medicine, the department has four units in Soba University hospital.

The department used to have two general obstetrical and gynaecological units in Khartoum Teaching hospital till the closure of the department in 2010.

In addition there are five units in Saad Abuleila Hospital.

Following closure of obstetrics department in Khartoum teaching hospital the units were moved to Ibrahim Malik teaching hospital.

Specialized Practice

Colposcopy & Cervical Screening

This specialized service was established in 1979 by Dr. Hamid ElNaeim at Khartoum Teaching Hospital. It was then transferred to Saad Abu Eleila hospital.

Currently a new unit with training center and a project for outreach clinics is established at Soba University Hospital which is planned to be the first gynae-oncology center in Sudan.

Obstetric Ultrasound:

The first Obstetric US service was introduced at Soba in 1982 by Dr. Saad Elfadil and late Dr. Zaki Mustafa. This Unit continued to provide obstetric ultrasound scan services at Soba University Hospital. This service was upgraded to Habib Fetal Medicine Unit in 2008 providing diagnostic and interventional fetal medicine services and it receives referrals from all around country.

Minimal Access Surgery

Laparoscopy service was established by Professor. Abdulsalam Gerais and Professor. Mohamed Ahmed  El Sheikh early on. Currently the Minimal Access gyaenecological surgery Units are fully functioning at Soba & Saad Abuleila Maternity University Hospitals.

The department runs Reproductive and infertility center in Saad Abu Eleila Hospital which is the only low cost IVF centre in the country.

The department has been the lead over the country in training and guidance of family planning and reproductive medicine. Centers has been established and were run jointly with the department of community medicine and Family Planning Society

The department is actively involved in anti FGM activities as well as raising awareness programs in collaboration with MOH. There is sound participation in medical campaigns as well.

Training Courses: ALSO – MRCOG - EMOC

The department has introduced the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics course (ALSO) to Sudan in February 2004. The course is going on with more than 125 courses were conducted up to now 2021. Training covered all states of the country. ALSO was also run outside the country as well by faculty members eg. Saudi Arabia Kuwait & UAE.

MRCOG courses were run regularly by the department as well as external examiners and visitors

Basic practical surgical skill course is currently going on with more than 15 sessions performed till now 2021.

Minimal Access courses were arranged jointly with the FIGO. The department in collaboration with the FIGO, Sudanese Obstetrics & Gynecology Society and Soba University Hospital established the FIGO Training course in Minimal Access Surgery.

Regular training courses for trainees are provided in colposcopy and minimal access surgery in addition to other short courses such as perineal and CTG.

International Exams:

MRCOG part one and two are regularly arranged by the department.

Negotiations are progressing for MRCPI.

Department staff members are participating as external examiners locally, in the regional area and internationally.

Department members were historically the leading in Regional RCOG committee.

Partnership & Collaboration:

Local:-

. Faculties of Medicine all over the country in curriculum development, exams and training

. Sudan Medical Specialization Board.

. Federal MOH

Sudanese Medical Council

. Khartoum State MOH

. Sudanese Obstetrics & Gynaecology Society

. Sudanese Family Planning Society

Anti FGM Campaigns

Regional:-

. Orotta – Faculty of Medicine - Eriteria

. Arab Board

International:-

• RCOG
• FIGO
• WHO

Capacity Building

Habib Fetal Unit

Saad Abuleila IVF center

Women Cancer Screening Center (SUH)

Fistula & Urogynaecology Center (to be developed in KTH)

Future plans:

. The department is currently extremely under staffed almost one third of current staff are clinical fellow with temporal contracts renewed on annual base. In addition many of the staff members busy with managerial duties and clinical work in university hospitals, so recruitment of new staff is critically needed.

. Creation of clinical staff jobs in university hospital to reduce the clinical load on teaching staff. All university hospitals need to create permanent service jobs and recruit staff to cover the routine clinical work thus reducing the clinical load on academic staff. So each unit in university hospital should have at least one permanent clinical staff member.

. Address deficiencies in the undergraduate curriculum and improve clinical exposure for medical students.

. Renovation of the skill labs with teaching aids and simulator (Screens, Computers, Projectors, mannequins and simulators and other teaching aids. 

• Promotion of research in obstetrics and gynaecology
• Promote lifelong learning through the development of a Continuing Medical Education program for members of the Department
• Initiation of Subspecialty training programs for the registrars and Junior specialists in Obstetrics and Gynaecology