Prevalence and determinants of goitre among children of South Kordofan state, Sudan, 2021: an urgent need for effective implementation of universal salt iodisation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of goitre among children aged 6-12 years at South Kordofan state. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional facility-based study. SETTING: The study was conducted in twenty villages of South Kordofan state during a medical mission. PARTICIPANTS: All 575 school-age children (6-12 years) who attended the medical day were examined for clinical assessment of goitre. RESULTS: The prevalence of goitre among children of South Kordofan was 42·8 % (grade 1: 15·7 %, grade 2: 27·1 %). Only 24·2 % of caregivers reported using iodised salt. Mothers working as farmers (OR: 3·209, CI 95 % 1·437, 7·167; P = 0·004) and children of Darforian tribes (OR: 21·799, CI 95 % 2·566, 185·226; P = 0·005) were found to be significantly associated with higher prevalence of goitre among children. This contrasts with children of African tribes, where they were found to have less goitre prevalence (OR: 0·432, CI 95 % 0·213, 0·875; P = 0·02). Iodised salt utilisation (OR = 0·523, CI 95 % 0·320, 0·854; P = 0·01) was found associated with a lower prevalence of goitre. CONCLUSION: Even though National Iodine Deficiency Disorders control programs were initiated in Sudan more than 25 years ago, the prevalence of goitre among children in South Kordofan state was alarming (42·8 %). Efforts to improve access to iodised salt, increase utilisation and raise awareness are urgently needed.

Impact of malaria control interventions on malaria infection and anaemia in areas with irrigated schemes: a cross-sectional population-based study in Sudan.

BACKGROUND: While the overall burden of malaria is still high, the global technical strategy for malaria advocates for two sets of interventions: vector control-based prevention and diagnosis and prompt effective treatment of malaria cases. This study aimed to assess the performance of malaria interventions on malaria infection and anaemia in irrigated areas in Sudan. METHODS: Based on the Sudan 2016 national malaria indicator survey, data for two states (Gezira and Sennar), characterized by large-irrigated schemes, were analysed. Four community-level malaria interventions were used as contextual variables: utilization of malaria diagnosis, utilization of Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), utilization of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and coverage with indoor residual spraying (IRS). Association between these interventions and two outcomes: malaria infection and anaemia, was assessed separately. Malaria infection was assessed in all age groups while anaemia was assessed in children under 5 years. Multilevel multiple logistic regression analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Among 4478 individuals involved in this study distributed over 47 clusters, the overall malaria infection rate was 3.0% and 56.5% of the children under 5 years (total = 322) were anaemic. Except for IRS coverage (69.6%), the average utilization of interventions was relatively low: 52.3% for utilization of diagnosis, 33.0% for utilization of ACTs and 18.6% for LLINs utilization. The multi-level multiple logistic regression model showed that only IRS coverage was associated with malaria infection (Odds ratio 0.83 per 10% coverage, 95%Confidence Interval (95%CI) 0.74-0.94, p = 0.003) indicating that a higher level of IRS coverage was associated with less malaria infection. Anaemia was not associated with any intervention (all p values larger than 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Malaria transmission in Gezira and Sennar areas is low. IRS, with insecticide to which vectors are susceptible, is an effective malaria control intervention in irrigated schemes. Community utilization of other interventions was not associated with malaria infection in this study. This may be due to the low utilization of these interventions. However, individual use of LLINs provide personal protection. This study failed to establish an association between anaemia and malaria control interventions in low transmission areas. The higher level of malaria infection in urban areas is a cause for concern.

Prevalence and determinants of anaemia in women of reproductive age in Sudan: analysis of a cross-sectional household survey.

BACKGROUND: Anaemia is a global health problem and women in reproductive age (WRA) are amongst the most affected population. Its consequences include low birth weight and maternal mortality. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anaemia and to identify its determinants in Sudanese women in reproductive age. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Sudan in 2016. A multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design was executed with consideration of rural population, urban population, and internally displaced persons/refugees camps residents. All women in reproductive age (15-49 years), classified by pregnancy status, in the targeted households were surveyed and personal characteristic data were collected. Their haemoglobin level and malaria infection (using rapid diagnostic test, RDT) were assessed. The World Health Organization (WHO) haemoglobin level cut-off for defining anaemia and severe anaemia in pregnant and non-pregnant women was used. Logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 4271 women (WRA) of which 421 (9.9%) pregnant women (PW) were included in the study. The overall anaemia prevalence in WRA was 35.6%. It was 36.0 and 35.5% in PW and non-pregnant women (NPW), respectively. The average haemoglobin level was found to be 113.9 g/L (SD 16.3) and 123.2 g/L (SD 15.7) for PW and NPW respectively. Severe anaemia prevalence was 1.2% in each group. In the logistic regression model, anaemia was associated with malaria infection in PW (aOR 4.100, 95%CI 1.523-11.039, p = 0.003), NPW (aOR 2.776, 95%CI 1.889-4.080, p < 0.001), and WRA (aOR 2.885, 95%CI 2.021-4.119, p < 0.001). Other identified determinants of anaemia in NPW was living in camps (aOR 1.499, 95%CI 1.115-2.017, p = 0.007) and in WRA was being in the poorest economic class (aOR 1.436, 95%CI 1.065-1.936, p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Anaemia is a public health problem in Sudan. The study supported the association between malaria infection and anaemia, but not with low and moderate malaria transmission areas. Resources need to be allocated for all anaemic populations with special attention for the populations in most need and interventions need to be implemented based on local variations. Malaria control interventions, specifically case management, may have a major impact in reducing anaemia prevalence in low to moderate malaria transmission areas.