Epidemiological Researches in Egypt

1. Epidemiological Researches in Egypt Dr.Abdelnasser Mohammed Ahmed Epidemiology & Surveillance unit director

2. Background • Egypt is passing through epidemiological and demographic transition phase • Extensive health care system • Research capacities(academic and service level) • Researches addressed both community and system problems • Increase awareness of need and use of research use • Increase efforts made by capacity building • Reform health system to meet population needs

3. Current StatusA. Advocacy & Promotion • Increased awareness among scientific/academic community and service officials and professionals through: • Create a post for a vice-dean at each medical school for environmental affair responsible for linking university to its surrounding community. • Conduct workshops for orientation of senior service officials at MOHP

4. Current StatusB. Priority setting • Develop a system for health promotion and provision of quality services. • Develop of human resources for health through equal distribution, continuing equation and economics of their employment. • Empower the concept of district health system approach. • Prevent and manage endemic parasitic diseases, particularly shistosmiasis • Prevent and manage chronic diseases especially heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and renal diseases

5. Current StatusC. Capacity Development • Assessment of the health needs at all levels of the health care system • Assessment of the most common health problems in Egypt and prioritization process. • Monitoring and evaluation of health research projects. • Satellite units for field applied research at almost each governorate 2 Programs adopted at personnel capacity level: • 2 Year course in field epidemiology for field practice to identify problems and carry out a research project. • Annual 2 week course on health system research with intervening periods for homework and ending with 3-4 research proposals.

6. Current StatusD. Networking • Organization of national and local conferences and seminars. • Preparation in regional and international conferences and seminars. • Creating links with internet/Medline at almost all research institutions • Strengthening the local network established at the academy of science and technology. • Acknowledgment of the role of non governmental organization in the research. • Establishment of health information system network at governorate level to collect,process and analyze health data related to all health services and programs

7. Current StatusE. Financing and Evaluation • Most bilateral health projects allocate an appreciable proportions of their funds for research. • The government funds allocated to the Ministry of higher education and scientific research have been almost doubled during the current financial year. • Evaluation of developmental research projects for relevance, methodology, interpretation of results and timeliness of providing needed information. • Evaluation of the extent to which results of research are utilized.

8. Current StatusF. Research Activities • Nation wide research on maternal mortality • Household survey of management of children with diarrhea and acute respiratory infections in Egypt • Nation wide community based research on Hepatitis C and B incidence and risk factors • Nation wide community based study to measure prevalence, incidence and mortality rates of shidtosomiasis • National survey of tuberculosis.

9. Current StatusF. Research Activities, cont • Health system research • Maintainace of hospital equipment • Control of infection in dental clinics • Evolution of training output of medical team • Control of smoking in children. • Research on heart diseases using different levels of screening tests. • National survey of maternal and child health related morbidity and mortality. • Family planning researches

10. Current StatusG. Research utilization • Using situational analysis survey in formulation of national master plan for health sector reform • Integration of PHC/reproductive health services based on findings of community based research conducted by MOHP researcher team • Development of new projects to reformulate / strengthen district health management system.

11. National institutes deals with health researchesin EgyptA.Ministry of health and population • Center for field and applied research • Started as a training center then engaged in operational research related to health delivery • Its activities related to priority health problems and environmental impacts. • In 1997, a health system was created within the center to support decision-making mechanism and planning of cost effective studies and development of health management indicators • Advocacy of NGOs and community mobilization • National specialized councils: • Established 20 years ago to provide venue for high expertise to work together in areas of common interest • Study how to improve health policy and utilization of health services. • Dissemination of information to better serve decision-making

12. National institutes deals with health researchesin EgyptA.Ministry of health and population • National institute for nutrition Promote research in the area of nutrition • Field Epidemiology Training Unit: • 2 year training program for physicians and public health officials • Training in Epidemiology, biostatistics, computer use in public health together with extensive fieldwork • Designing and implementing field studies of different nature • Nasser Institute Hospital for treatment and research: Harbor medical specialists and centers for excellence • National Institute of Diabetes mellitus and endocrinology: Includes hospital for research • Poliomyelitis institute

13. National institutes deals with health researchesin EgyptB. Ministry of Higher and Scientific Research • Medical Research Institutes: • Institute of Theodore bilharz • Institute of ophthalmology • National center of research • High institute of public health and medical research • Local universities: Serve as a good medium for research activities • Medical Research Council of the National academy of science, research and technology: • National needs assessment • Pritorization process • Research capacity • Budget for contract research • Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms • Academy of scientific research and technology:

14. National institutes deals with health researchesin EgyptC. Population Research Institutions • National Population council: • Carry out researches related to population • Help the Egyptian government to achieve national population policy • Study important issues affect efficiency and effectiveness of population programs • Cairo demographic center • Population Council

15. National institutes deals with health researchesin EgyptD. Professional non-governmental organizations • Egyptian community medicine association • Egyptian medical women association • Egyptian breast milk friends association • Egyptian fertility society • Society for health research for development

16. Implementation plan for situational analysis of health research activities • Formulation of executive committee: • Coordinate activities of situational analysis • Assign tasks to implement the plan • Arrange meeting/workshop • Prepare questionnaires/interview items • Surveying health research centers and institutes: • Collect basic information about researches capacity • Analyze data • Develop a manual identify organizations in research • Studying status of health researcher: • Investigate challenges facing researches, documentation, training, information accessibility and financing sources • Analyze data collected on status of health • Report findings to policy makers

17. Implementation plan for situational analysis of health research activities, cont • Exploring health research key stakeholders opinion for research pritorization: • Interview key stakeholders for policy makers • Identify problems of research needs utilization • Assess involvement of civil society • Exploring research opportunities

18. Action plan • Conduct seminars, meetings to build consensus for research: • Invite all stakeholders involved in research • Discuss findings of situational analysis • Consensus building on national health policies • Develop agreed national health policies into operational strategies • Recommend a mechanism to pritorize and coordinate research • Establish national health research data bank: • Invite all stakeholders in researches • Use findings of survey of institutes • Develop software for data storage contain basic information for research • Develop electronic copies of software to be available for health researchers • Recommend a mechanism to guarantee sustainable updates of these data and software

19. Action plan, Cont • Create the culture of research among health professionals: • Advocate to incorporate training on research methodology • Develop training curriculum about health research • Train health professionals on health research

20. Future Plan • Strengthen health research priority setting at sub national and district level • Involve non governmental organizations and private sector in policy making • Dialogue and partnerships between research procedures and potential consumers need to be strengthened • Better description, analysis and assessment of different coordination mechanisms

21. Future Plan, Cont • Maintain a balance between basic, clinical and health system research • Maintain available systematic information and strong health management information system • Networking model to support and organize regular consultative meetings and assist powerful databases that would benefit in many researches.