In 2009, the first National Population-based Cancer Registry (NCR) was established in Sudan. We report in this study, the first data from the NCR for Khartoum State for the period 2009–2010. The NCR staff used passive and active approaches to collect data on cancer diagnosed by all means in Khartoum State. Rates were age standardized to the 2010 Sudan Standard Population and 1966 and 2000 World Standard Population and expressed per 100,000 populations. During 2009–2010, 6771 new cancer cases were registered. Of those, 3646 (53.8%) cases were in women and 3125 (46.2%) were in men. The most commonly diagnosed cancer among women was breast followed by leukemia, cervix, and ovary, and among men it was prostate cancer followed by leukemia, lymphoma, oral, colorectal, and liver. In children less than 15 years of age, leukemia was the most common cancer followed lymphoma, and cancer of the eye, bone, kidney, and the brain. The overall age-standardized rate (ASR) per 100,000 population was higher in women (124.3) than in men (90.8) using 2010 Sudan Standard Population. Similarly, it was higher in women (188.6 and 206.3 per 100,000 population) than in men (145.4 and 160.0 per 100,000 population) using 1966 and 2000 World Standard Population, respectively. The data from NCR indicated that prostate and breast as the most commonly diagnosed cancer sites in men and women in Khartoum, while cancer of the cervix trailed behind portraying a cancer picture similar to that of the developed world. Despite the study limitations, the NCR data gave a fair representation of cancer profile of Khartoum State and underscored the need for high-quality cancer registries in Sudan.

In this article, the authors describe research conducted by the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC) in Islamabad, Pakistan. The research was carried out through collaboration of two components of a large multicomponent Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)-funded project--the Development of Women Health Professionals Program (DWHP)--with the Colleges of Nursing and the Pakistan Nursing Council. The research was guided by staff of the DWHP and performed by eight nurses undergoing a research course as part of a Diploma in Teaching Administration (DTA) at a postgraduate College of Nursing in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan. Research questions related to the collection and analysis of nursing workforce statistics were asked and partially answered, while students gained experience in conducting research. A description of the context in which the research was conducted is provided. Finally, results of the research and the potential benefits for influencing health workforce policy are discussed.

To find the determinants of malaria mortality among displaced people, across-sectional descriptive study using verbal autopsy was carried out in 2 camps in Khartoum state, Sudan. The heads of 856 households were interviewed about household characteristics, and malaria knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. They reported 81 malaria deaths during the previous year, 3.5% of all household members; 70 [86.4%] were children. Fever, diarrhoea, vomiting and headache were the most prevalent symptoms before death. Having a malaria death in the household was significantly associated with poor knowledge about malaria and, surprisingly, with better education. Poor treatment-seeking behaviour and poor attitudes towards malaria were not associated with higher mortality. However, mortality was significantly higher among households obtaining water by cart than from a well

A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among displaced people in Khartoum state to determine risk factors associated with malaria. Data were collected from 856 households about sociodemographic characteristics, history of malaria, and knowledge, attitudes and treatment-seeking behaviour. Overall, 68.2% reported a malaria attack among household members in the previous year. Risk of malaria attack was significantly associated with tribe, language, education, water supply and food expenditure. The highest rates of attack were among local language speakers [85.5%] and illiterate residents [70.4%]. Half the respondents [50.2%] delayed seeking treatment for malaria. Knowledge, attitudes and practices had no association with malaria attacks, except for a 4.7-fold increased risk of malaria when obtaining water from carts rather than wells