Port Sudan:The Saudi Voluntary Program in Sudan, known as Athar, has significantly impacted the region by delivering specialized medical care and training to 507,934 beneficiaries in its first edition, which involved 194 projects. The initiative was spearheaded by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief).
According to Saudi Press Agency, the Athar program has incorporated a variety of projects, including the “Saudi Volunteer Medical Program for Specialized Surgeries,” the “Noor Saudi Volunteer Program” aimed at combating blindness, and the “Ebsar” project for school health. Additional efforts involved the Saudi Voluntary Medical Project for Prosthetics, the “Life Ambassador” program, and specialized clinics covering pediatrics, kidney, and neurology, as well as the “Saudi Pulse” volunteer project.
The program's primary objective is to support Sudan’s health sector by providing voluntary medical services. Specialist teams engage in patient examinations and conduct surgical procedures across several medical disciplines. Notably, the Noor Saudi Volunteer Program implemented 125 projects to prevent blindness, and the Ebsar project completed 30 health-related initiatives for schools.
In terms of specialized surgeries, the program executed 32 projects alongside two projects under the Saudi Pulse initiative. These included urological, neurosurgical, vascular procedures, and cataract-removal operations. Notably, in Port Sudan, a project from September 11 to 23, 2023, encompassed vascular, neurosurgical, and pediatric surgeries, resulting in 73 operations and 421 patient examinations.
The first edition also focused on prosthetics and rehabilitation, with projects in pediatrics, nephrology, and neurology, alongside the “Life Ambassador” initiative, which provided first-aid training.
Plans for the second edition of the program include 200 projects expected to benefit 563,180 people. These projects will feature 140 initiatives under the Noor Saudi Volunteer Program for eye surgeries, six projects under the Saudi Pulse initiative for cardiac surgery and catheterization, and three projects under the “Saudi Sama'a Volunteer Program” for cochlear implants and hearing rehabilitation.
Further plans include 45 projects split between the "Saudi Voluntary Training Program for Specialized Surgeries" and the Saudi Volunteer Medical Program for Specialized Surgeries, covering areas like prosthetic limbs, general, maxillofacial, ENT, cosmetic, reconstructive, orthopedic, neurosurgery, urology, and endocrine surgeries.
This initiative is part of KSrelief’s broader international volunteer work. Data from the Saudi International Volunteer Portal indicates that 1,471 volunteer programs have been executed in 61 countries, benefiting 2,883,295 people and including 276,283 surgical operations, with 84,745 volunteers registered.