The authors from four countries belonging to three continents (Africa, Asia and Europe) contributed articles to the current issue of the Sudanese Journal of Paediatrics (SJP). These cover the fields of infectious diseases, immunisation, nutrition, dehydration in childhood, neonatology, nephrology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, haematology, oncology, rheumatology, dysmorphology, psychiatry, radiology and medical education and training.
The Cover of the current issue of SJP pays tribute to the Sudanese doctors who gave their lives around the globe fighting coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. They are represented by Dr. Muhammad Al-Faki (Mohamed Elhassan Elfaki Osman), Member of SJP Editorial Board, and Hematology Oncology Consultant at King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) in Riyadh. He was mourned in Saudi Arabia, being one of the first two doctors to lose their lives as a result of the COVID-19 [1]. The official obituary of KSUMC described him as being ‘a valued member of the KSUMC family where he dedicated himself to care for haematology/oncology patients and committed to help the patients attain the highest possible level of health.’ The obituary continued to state that the ‘sudden loss of our colleague and friend is devastating and a deep shock to all of us. We will not be able to find as honest and responsible physician as he was.’
A Twitter user shared a photo of his son with Al-Faki, taken 4 years ago, during the first visit to the hospital’s haematology clinic. He recalled Dr. Al-Faki’s ‘kindness, beautiful spirit, lasting smile, love for children….I can’t imagine the clinic without him.’ [1].
Apart from his outstanding clinical service, Dr. Elfaki contributed to research in various hematologic disorders [2-4], sickle cell disease [5,6] and the genetics of haematologic diseases [7,8]. Being Head of Quality Focus Team, Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, he was active in the formulation and evaluation of several clinical practice guidelines [9-11].
It has been estimated that more than 40 Sudanese doctors and health care workers died in Sudan and around the globe during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of deaths followed infection with coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, a number of deaths resulted as sequelae of the pressure on the health services created by COVID-19. The most tragic of these was the death of the 27-year-old Dr. Israa Mohamed Suleiman, a registrar gynaecologist and obstetrician, following a heart attack during her work hours at Alia Specialized Hospital, Omdurman, Sudan. Due to the staff shortage and the pressing need to attend complicated deliveries, she had to work for 48 hours. Her father, Dr. Mohamed Suleiman, is a consultant general surgeon working in Saudi Arabia. A Sudanese described her death to be caused by an ‘overdose of humanity’!
Another tragic death was that of the 36-year-old Dr. Muhanad Nowar Eltayib, registrar in cardiac surgery at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK [12]. He had been self isolating at his apartment in Belfast with flu-like symptoms before his death. Dr. Muhanad was born and raised in South Kordofan, Sudan, and his father works as orthopeadic surgeon in Saudi Arabia. Belfast city councillor and health worker, Paul McCusker described his death as ‘very sad news for Belfast and Northern Ireland.’ He also added that it’s ‘very difficult being away from family and having to make huge changes in your life being part of dedicated teams in the National Health Service (NHS) working long hours to save lives while risking your own’ [12].
Those who offered their lives fighting COVID-19 in Sudan and around the globe reflected the known professionalism and bravery of Sudanese doctors. Dr. Adil El Tayar, Consultant Kidney and Pancreatic Transplant surgeon, was the first working UK NHS surgeon who died from coronavirus [13]. Dr. Amged ElHawrani, Sudanese/British ENT consultant, was the first confirmed hospital frontline worker in UK who died from COVID-19. This has its roots in history, as it has also been vividly depicted during the outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Maridi (currently in South Sudan) in 1976 [14].
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