The Revival of Alma Ata’s Commitment to a Multi-Sectoral Approach to Primary [Reproductive] Health Care: The Egyptian Experience | ||||
| Journal of High Institute of Public Health | ||||
| Article 7, Volume 36, Issue 1, January 2006, Page 103-116 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jhiph.2006.161612 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| Mohamed Afifi1; Ola Akl2; Nagwa Samir1 | ||||
| 1TAHSEEN/CATALYST Project | ||||
| 2Primary Health Care Division: Tropical Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| The TAHSEEN/CATALYST project – established in 2003 – uses an integrated and comprehensive approach to reproductive health [RH] emphasizing behavior change, community involvement, and linkages to non-health sectors. Research indicates that Egyptians consider religious leaders and media professionals as trusted sources of health information. In most instances, however, religious leaders and media professionals do not always have the necessary knowledge to cover such issues in a medically accurate and culturally appropriate way. In addition to training health professionals, the project developed a three day training program that is followed by monthly workshops for male and female religious leaders, and media professionals to improve their knowledge of RH issues. Topics have included optimal birth spacing, male involvement in RH, antenatal and postpartum care, gender based violence, and female genital cutting. Religious leaders and media professionals have displayed a significant interest in participating in RH activities and successfully absorbed the RH messages they have been exposed to as proven by a pre-training and post training assessment. Trained religious leaders have talked to more than 7500 people about Rh issues and media professionals produced over 150 newspapers articles, TV, and radio shows on various RH topics. They are now committed to creating an environment of unprecedented preparedness and awareness of various RH issues within their communities. Teams from both groups have now developed action plans for increasing awareness, acceptability, and access to RH services in their communities. Religious leaders and media professionals have been crucial to end the silence and stigma surrounding issues like female genital cutting and abortion. Building religious and media people’s capacity in this area will develop basic skills they will use throughout their lives. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Alma Ata; Primary [Reproductive] Health Care; The Egyptian Experience | ||||
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