Epidemiological Researches in Egypt

Dr.Abdelnasser Mohammed Ahmed

Epidemiology & Surveillance unit director

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

Current Status
A. 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

Current Status
B. 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

Current Status
C. 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.

Current Status
D. 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

Current Status
E. 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.

Current Status
F. 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.

Current Status
F. 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

Current Status
G. 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.

National institutes deals with health researches in Egypt

A.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 decisionmaking mechanism and planning of cost effective studies and development of health management indicators Advocacy of NGOs and community mobilization 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

National specialized councils:

National institutes deals with health researches in Egypt

A.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

National institutes deals with health researches in Egypt

B. 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:

National institutes deals with health researches in Egypt

C. 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

National institutes deals with health researches in Egypt

D. 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

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
Investigate challenges facing researches, documentation, training, information accessibility and financing sources Analyze data collected on status of health Report findings to policy makers

Studying status of health researcher:

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

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

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

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

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.