-
Prof. Fahal trained in medicine at the University of Khartoum, Sudan. He then pursued his post-graduate surgical training in Khartoum and London, leading to a consultant surgeon position at Soba University Hospital and a professor of Surgery, University of Khartoum, Sudan. He is a general surgeon with a special interest and tracks record in mycetoma and tropical surgery.
He has served as the Director of the Educational Development Centre for Medical & Health Professionals, University of Khartoum. He was the Founding Director of the Self Evaluation and Quality Enhancement Administration, University of Khartoum and then the University of Khartoum Academic Secretary.
He was the President of the Scientific Research and Innovation Agency, Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research, Sudan and advisor to the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific research, the Republic of Sudan.
He is presently the Vice-President of the Arab Scientific Research Councils Federation.
Prof. Fahal is the founding Director of the Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC), University of Khartoum. The MRC establishment's efforts from scratch are a major success story as he recruited his own web of personal contacts to generate funds for the project. Today, the centre is recognised globally as a world leader and an authoritative advisor in Mycetoma management and research, and it is the only WHO Collaborating Centre on Mycetoma.
He is a high-volume researcher in mycetoma and has published and presented extensively his original research in mycetoma has become a world reference. He published more than 270 peer-reviewed articles and edited a book on mycetoma and many textbooks' chapters, booklets and clinical guidelines on a number of themes in surgery, mycetoma and medical education. His total citation count is 12525, his h-index is 35, i10-index is 167 (Google Scholar, 21 Fe. 2023). He is among the top 2% of global scientists with high citation impact.
He is collaborating with more than 23 international research centres and institutes on different research activities to promote science. He established the EL Hassan Centre for NTDs Clinical trials as its first kind in the country. Having always been conscious of monetary constraints and the need to advance, he spared no effort to use his personal influence to generate funds for various research and academic establishments worth millions of dollars despite the meagre resources in his work environment
The mastery of Professor Fahal for research and publications has qualified him to act as a referee for seventeen scientific journals and sits on many editorial boards, and he is the Academic Editor of the PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Journal.
He is a member of many national, regional, and international academic and scientific associations and societies. He sits on various curricula, research ethics, accreditations and administrative committees at national and regional levels.
In medical education, he is actively involved in teaching and organising national and international workshops, training courses, and conferences to collaborate with the WHO for medical and health professionals training. He has a special interest in E-Learning, medical informatics and teaching and learning innovation. He is a temporal WHO Consultant to develop medical education in the region.
Prof. Fahal has a strong commitment to research, training and education. He is actively involved in the teaching and research supervision of undergraduates and post-graduates. He is an external examiner in surgery for many national and regional medical schools and the Royal Colleges of Surgeons.
Professor Fahal has taken numerous posts where his fingerprints speak of his successful achievements. His legacy during his tenure as the MRC founding director has been unique.
One of his major achievements, he in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in Sudan and other organisations, has managed to include Mycetoma as Neglected Tropical Disease on the WHO/NTD list in 2016; Resolution no. 69:21. He is currently a Member of the WHO/NTD Diagnostic Technical Advisory Group (DTAG), Skin NTDs subgroup, Geneva and NTDs Advisory Board, EMRO.
With his team at the MRC, he is currently conducting the first-ever double-blind clinical trial study on a new treatment for Mycetoma and the first study on a Mycetoma field-friendly point-of-care diagnostic test for Mycetoma.
He established two Mycetoma satellite centres at mycetoma endemic villages in Sudan, where patients are seen and treated locally at their villages, artificial limb prostheses, health education and community support activities are conducted by mobile teams from the MRC. All these activities are done free of charge. More than 1000 patients were surgically treated in these villages.
He established the Mycetoma Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Centre (SAA’ID) recently. It is a hub for vocational training, business development, and entertainment, located at the Mycetoma Research Centre, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan. It aims to create an enabling environment for the mycetoma amputees and disabled persons to learn and develop income-generating skills, perform and upgrade their talents, and be prepared to lead a new life of being productive, self-reliant and confident.
He managed to motivate a group of 60 fine artists, singers, comedians, celebrities and journalists to form a support group for the MRC and the Mycetoma Patients Friends Association, which he had established. This group had conducted many Mycetoma awareness and advocacy and community engagement events and activities
Prof. Fahal received several awards and medals, to mention but a few, the State of the Sudan Golden Medal for Excellence and the Promotion of Scientific Innovation, the University of Khartoum Award for Long-Standing Excellence in Scientific Research, The Donald Mackay Medal, The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, London, The Knighthood of Palmes Académiques, The Republic of France, The Knighthood of Merit, The Republic of Italy, The Third World Academy of Science Fellowship, and The University of Khartoum Award for Excellence in Administrative Achievements, Sudan, 2019.
He was also awarded the fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians, London, for his distinctive achievements in scientific research. Recently, he was elected a fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists, London, for his basic, experimental and implementation research work.