Yousif Elnour

I left Sudan in late 2021 and came to Ireland. I’m a community and public health physician who has worked for several institutions including the Sudanese Federal Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, and other civil society organisations, in my home country.

Sudan is being torn apart by war and political instability, leaving at least 20,000 dead and many more at risk. The conflict has destroyed the majority of Sudan’s healthcare institutions, including hospitals, primary healthcare facilities, and specialised centres. There have been attacks on healthcare providers themselves.

We will need more clinical leadership and governance roles to make our health system function. I came to Ireland with a goal in mind: what course will help me be a part of the solution to Sudan’s chronic health system problems? As a community and public health specialist, I know that knowledge is key.

After some research, RCSI was the obvious choice. It leads to research and professional development. My course in RCSI Quality and Safety in Healthcare Management, has taught me a great deal about quality improvement and patient safety, including clinical governance, leadership and strategy, and accreditation and standards. Most importantly, how to apply these concepts in the real world.

For my project, I worked on a plan to improve maternal healthcare and reduce maternal death in Sudan. There are simple and effective methods we can use to reduce risk factors for pregnant women, which don’t require significant financial resources and can be easily applied even in an unstable political context.

I’m still eager to gain more knowledge and skills. I’m here in Ireland, a country with a well-structured healthcare system and many resources, and I want to gain experience and expertise that I can bring home with me. As a healthcare professional, I must help my country, the place that nurtured me; I owe Sudan so much.

Learn more about our MSc in Quality and Safety in Healthcare Management here.