Meet Bilal Mohamed Abaker Zakaria, MHPSS Officer in Sudan
Where are you based?
I’m in Damazine, in the Blue Nile region of Sudan.
What is your background?
I have a Bachelor of Science degree in applied medical sciences with a specialisation in health psychology. I have seven years of experience in the mental health field, having worked as a psychologist at Damazine Military Hospital, a counsellor in an HIV programme and a psychologist for the Ministry of Health at Damazine Hospital.
How long have you worked at International Medical Corps?
I started working at International Medical Corps in December 2023.
What do you do in a typical day?
The purpose of my work is to provide mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services to people in need. As an MHPSS Officer, I work closely with our MHPSS Coordinator and the state Ministry of Health (MoH), delivering MHPSS services at field level and providing technical guidance and supervision to state MoH MHPSS staff, including an MHPSS Counsellor and two Psychosocial Workers at Damazine Hospital and one MHPSS Counsellor at the Samsour primary healthcare clinic (PHC) in the Blue Nile region. The MHPSS activities I oversee include mental health consultations; psychoeducation on different MHPSS topics, such as acute stress, anxiety and depression; psychological first aid (PFA), to help people cope with crisis situations; and recreational and artistic sessions, especially for children, which enhance psychosocial well-being.
What are you working on now?
I am preparing two training sessions on PFA for community leaders and health staff, who are usually the first responders in emergency situations. I am also helping establish systems of MHPSS coordination in the Blue Nile region and bringing together MHPSS actors to work together on various issues.
What are you proudest of achieving at International Medical Corps?
My proudest moment was establishing MHPSS services at Samsour primary healthcare centre, which is located in a remote village in the Blue Nile region. It was challenging to get MoH staff to this facility, and the recruitment of the MHPSS Counsellor at the beginning of April of this year was a great achievement. I was also proud to represent International Medical Corps on World HIV Day.
Tell us about a time you made a difference at International Medical Corps.
Making a difference could be something small and difficult to see—I feel my engagement and communication skills have made a difference. I remember that, at one point, I had to help MoH stakeholders and seconded MHPSS staff who provide services at our targeted health facilities to understand and be patient regarding the delays in receiving their incentives. The team understood that delays caused by internet blackouts do happen in such a context, and they continued delivering MHPSS services, ensuring that the target population could receive care as planned. I believe that I made a difference, since the MoH staff could have easily suspended MHPSS services because of the delayed incentives.
What do you like best about working at International Medical Corps?
I like the teamwork and collaboration between the office staff in Damazine, as well as the support of the wider Sudan mission staff. This has made it easy for me to fit in and at the same time has allowed me to learn International Medical Corps’ approach to MHPSS and other interventions.
What have you learned at International Medical Corps?
I came from a background with limited experience of MHPSS in an international NGO setting, so I have learned about International Medical Corps’ approach and service integration. I also have learned how to use global MHPSS guidance—adapting it to the context as needed—and the importance of evidence-based practices in MHPSS interventions. I believe I will continue to learn from International Medical Corps and contribute to the ways we provide MHPSS services in Sudan.