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The ISN Sister Renal Center Program between Sudan and Brazil has been particularly active recently. Two nephrologists and a renal nurse from renal institutes across Brazil brought different perspectives to a training course for local doctors at Soba University Hospital in Sudan.

The visiting team included Roberto Pecoits-Filho, from Catholic University of Parana (Brazil), Viviane Calice da Silva, from Pro-Rim Foundation Joinville and Ana Elizabeth Figueiredo, from Nursing Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul.

In Sudan, chronic kidney disease (CKD) impacts patients and their whole families. In rural areas where renal services are scarce, many families must travel far for care. A burden with high economic costs to health systems, CKD affects about 12% of the population.

This SRC partnership especially wanted to establish educational avenues between the two countries, strengthen the Sudan National peritoneal dialysis (PD) program, optimize continuous renal replacement therapy, hemodialysis and PD staff training.

Moreover, they would like to explore areas of joint research, implement and review optimal patient care practices (e.g. protocols, catheters).

The major advantage of this collaboration is that the Brazil team has experience of working on projects related to kidney care in low-resource setting and in managing kidney disease in the developing world.

Brazil has managed to introduce a cost effective renal replacement therapy model. It has seen a drop in the total dialysis cost following the implementation of smart tools, education, and clear strategies, such as peritoneal dialysis for a large number of patients with ESRD.

In Sudan, Soba University Hospital, Dr Salma, and Noura Pediatric Centers are the largest academic, open-access, renal centers that serve patients and train a substantial number of renal practitioners.

Furthermore, the National Sudan PD Program that was established in 2005 continues to enrol about a hundred patients. This contrasts with expanding hemodialysis facilities that serve more than six thousand patients. In this context, advocacy for peritoneal dialysis was one of the targets for this visit.

The team subsequently visited the Histopathology Lab in the company of Dr Salwa Makki, Senior Renal Pathologist and discussed potentials of future cooperation.

Find out more about the ISN Sister Renal Center Program, HERE. Deadline for applications is May 1st, 2018.