USAID/Egypt Information/Press : Closing event for Viral Hepatitis University Campaign

Welcome...

Professor Ahmed Nassar, Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University
Invited/Not yet confirmed: Dr. Nasr el Sayed, First Undersecretary and Assistant to the Minister of Health & Population for Primary Health Care, Preventive Medicine, and Family Planning)
Professor Waheed Doss: Dean of the Egyptian Liver Institute, & Director National Committee for Control and Prevention of Viral Hepatitis
Professor Manal Hamdy El-Sayed: Professor of Pediatrics
Hematology/Oncology Department, Children's Hospital Ain Shams University & Dir of Communication, National Committee for Control and Prevention of Viral Hepatitis
Dr. Hamdy El-Sayyed: Chairman Egyptian Medical Syndicate
Representatives of the World Health Forum and student campaign volunteers
Private Sector Sponsor Representatives, students, media and celebrity guests

• Thank you for inviting me to this important event, the closing activities for Phase I of the Viral Hepatitis University Campaign. I am proud to be here, representing USAID and the American people on this occasion.

• Health and population programs are key elements of economic development and poverty alleviation. It's wonderful to see so many different actors come together in support of this important public health issue. There has been significant participation from the government, private sector, student population, media and celebrities.

• Egypt probably is one of the countries with the high Hepatitis C prevalence worldwide, and the Ministry of Health and Population has made its prevention and control one of its main priorities. It is widely presumed that Hepatitis C transmission occurs primarily through unsafe medical injection practices, particularly in medical settings. This has led USAID to begin support of the Ministry of Health and Population's National Infection Control Program in 2000.

• By the end of this year, Ministry of Health and Population's main health facilities will all be upgraded to fully implement the National Infection Control Program. This will help improving the quality of health services and meeting the accreditation standards.

• This year, the Ministry of Health and Population, with USAID support, began to establish the Infection Control Program at the district, small hospital and Primary Healthcare Unit levels. The goal is to cover all primary healthcare units by the end of 2011, the total number of which is 5350.

• Another key achievement was linking the nationwide Hepatitis C sero-prevalence survey to the 2008 Demographic Health Survey (DHS) through an agreement reached with the Ministry of Health and Population and the National Committee for Control of Viral Hepatitis, which will help identify the current status of Hepatitis C in Egypt.

• USAID has been the proud supporter of a viral hepatitis communication strategy and implementation plan that focuses on improving strategic planning and coordination of viral hepatitis, preventing new cases of viral hepatitis in healthcare settings and household, and improving outcomes of patients with hepatitis infection.

• I want to congratulate the university students and the members of the World Health Forum who volunteered their time and energy to make this event happen. You've increased your fellow students' awareness. And I know that many have already obtained their first vaccination. I want to emphasize the importance of following up with your booster shots to ensure maximum protection. I would encourage those of you who have not started your series of vaccinations, to do so.

• For those of you who will be pursuing careers in the medical profession, your participation in this campaign have been crucial. You not only have a better understanding of the seriousness of Viral Hepatitis, but you have an important role to play in the future to uphold the highest standards of infection control.

• It is so wonderful to witness this enthusiastic and fruitful collaboration among different stake holders from Ain Shams and Tanta universities, the Ministry of Health and Population, the National Committee for Control and Prevention of Viral Hepatitis, USAID, Private Sector, and student volunteers.

• In closing, I want to congratulate all of you not only for the role you have played in making this important event happen, but also for the contributions you have made and will continue to make on behalf of all Egyptians.