Dr. Osama A. SAlih

Introduction

 

This center was a dream to all of those working in Nutrition in the Sudan. This dream came true by the support of the AUW administration. I was honored to take the responsibility of and to lead the efforts of establishing this center. This center is a pride of nutrition science in the country.

 

The NCTR started officially after the approval of the Academic Council of the University as an independent (Administratively) body affiliated to School of Health Sciences. However, a lot of academic as well as administrative, external and internal links and efforts were exerted before that to lay the foundation for its future sustainability and development

 

Major responsibilities and Activities:

• Overseeing the whole academic (postgraduate, training and research programs) and administration processes and ensuring that the work is efficient and consistent with the university regulations.

• The center was and continues to be a point of attraction and a very strong supporter to all nutritionists in the country. NCTR built a strong mutual relationship with the Ministry of Health (Federal and State levels) as well as the Ministry of General Education. Relationships extended with UN Agencies and other NGOs and Governmental bodies through joint programs and activities.

• NCTR shoulder the responsibility of the postgraduate studies (MSc.) in Human Nutrition and continued the quality and excellence standards (this is shown in the growing numbers of graduates (Ms Program “>150”; Diploma “>80”) and the quality of the products as reflected by their employers). Accordingly, and with strong steps the center is now offering a PhD degree (more than 10 candidates) for the first time in the Sudan (in this area of Human Nutrition).

• The Ministry of General Education selected the NCTR proposal for “Higher Diploma in Teaching Family Sciences” as the first post grad degree for the teachers of this subject (Family Sciences) from among many proposals presented by other universities, and now for this year (2008) we have trained more 100 teachers in just 3 years.

• NCTR based on the its staff experiences in the area of Family Sciences was selected by the National Center for Curricula & Educational Research, Government of the Sudan to develop the curricula for the newly established Discipline (Family Sciences) in the Curricula of the Higher Secondary Schools in Sudan for both Girls and Boys.

• Two books were developed by the NCTR staff and now this subject is one of the examinable subjects for the Sudan School Certificate (2003 up-to-date). As a result, the Higher Diploma Degree in Teaching Family Sciences was developed.

• Federal Ministry of Health and UNICEF (Sudan) contracted the NCTR staff to develop the First National Nutrition Policy for the Sudan and strategies for Implementation. In 3 moth time working with International Consultant we were able to produce this Landmark document for nutrition development in the Sudan in April 2006.

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) requested NCTR staff to develop the Nutrition Country Profile for the Sudan which was done and published 2005 ( FAO Website). the previous nutrition profile was 10 years ago (1995). It is worth mentioning that, Sudan is among few countries in Africa with a published and updated nutrition country profile.

• NCTR staff are requested to participate in almost all nutrition activities in the country (Seminars, Workshop, Conferences, Taskforce, Meetings etc) whether with MOH, MOHE, MOE, UN Agencies.

• NCTR staff conducted a Nutrition Study across 6 Arab countries[i] to evaluate the nutrition situation of the rural women. A first study on nutrition to be conducted by the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) of the Arab League

• NCTR staff organized a Regional Training for the Nutrition Situation in Rural Arab World (AOAD: Yemen, 2006.

• NCTR staff participated as a Member of the National Coordination Committee for the “Integration of the Community-based Management of Acute Sever Malnutrition in Health Services in Sudan” FMOH, Sudan, March, 2009.

• NCTR staff participated as a Member of the Ministerial Committee for the Genetically Modified Foods. FMOH, 2007.

• NCTR staff participated as Member of the National Technical Committee for the revision of the protocol for the Community-based Management of Sever Malnutrition. Federal Ministry of Health, 2005.

• NCTR participated as a Member of the National Fortification Alliance , Federal Ministry of Health, 2005

• NCTR staff participated as Member of the National Committee for the Establishment of the Higher Council in Nutrition-Federal Ministry of Health-Sudan.

• NCTR staff participated as Member of the Khartoum State Ministry of Health National Committee of Nutrition.

• NCTR staff participated as Resource persons in the area of Nutrition during emergency and Disasters Situation (FMOH)

• NCTR staff participated as Member of the Task Force for developing Manual for Community based Management of Sever Acute (SAM) Malnutrition, FMOH, Sudan.

• NCTR staff participated as Members of the Task Force for the evaluation of the Manual “HIV/AIDS and Nutrition Guidelines, FMOH, Sudan.

• NCTR staff participated in developing and conducting the first “In-country Training on the Community based Management of Acute Severe Malnutrition (CMAM)”. FANTA II and NCTR, February, 2009.

• NCTR staff participated in developing a Food Preservation Project in Elginana, Darfur Between Nutrition Centre for Training and Research and War Child Canada, 2008 – 2009.

• NCTR staff participated in the development of the “Interim Manual Community-Based Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition Version 1.0” November 10, 2009. FANTA II & FMOH.

• NCTR staff participated in many International and regional Activities such as the regional TOT Workshop on Nutrition of Elderly (Kenya, 2000), Saving Lives and Livelihood in disasters Situation (South Africa, 200), the first Arab Conference on Nutrition (Bahrain, 2004) Integration of Community-based Management of Sever Malnutrition (USA, 2008).

• NCTR organized a national meeting for Promoting Diet Therapy Practice in the Sudan, AUW (2007), the meeting linked the MOH, UN Agencies and Universities together in a discussion forum for developing plans and strategies to promoting diet therapy training in the country.

• NCTR staff coordinates the teaching of Nutrition particularly, Clinical Nutrition and Diet Therapy for the School of Medicine and Health sciences

• NCTR is the only academic institute to provide quality and appropriate short and medium term training for nutritionist working in different areas such as hospitals, NGOs, IDP camps etc.

• NCTR recently established a link program with Nestle Foundation for the study of Malnutrition in Developing Countries. This program resulted in provision of new and up to date Nutrition and Medical books (enLink Library), Access to their Digital Library which contains articles from International journals. In addition, joint research projects were developed.

• NCTR is now applying to be Adhering Body to the International Union Of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS)

• NCTR is recently became a member of the UNU-FNP Network Institutions: UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAM (UNU-FNP), Division of Nutritional Sciences.