Egypt Case Study on Global Health
Kristine Kim
CPSP119F
11 February 2013
This case study focused on the millions of deaths caused by diarrheal disease in Egypt. It was recorded that in 1977, was found that in Egypt this disease was the cause of half of all infant deaths. Diarrheal disease results in dehydration which greatly contributes to those high mortality rates. The National Control of Diarrheal Disease Project of Egypt was created to promote the usage of oral rehydration salts which can reverse dehydration. This program strives to not only distribute the salts but also raise awareness about how to appropriately treat children with the disease, especially mothers. Also, the program focused on training and teaching all types of health workers in order for them to truly understand the disease that they were dealing with and how treatment would work. The success of the program included the increase in production of the necessary oral rehydration salts and the increase of usage of the salts by mothers who changed their normal feeding habits. Infant mortality in Egypt dropped by thirty six percent and child mortality overall declined by forty three percent. Sadly the program was only a ten year program however within those ten years the program was able to increase attendance at public health clinics for those suffering with diarrheal disease, people were now able to come out to the health clinics and get treated quickly, efficiently and in a cost-effective manner. The case study briefly touched on the topic of the same disease issue in Bangladesh. I found it very inspiring that the program existed there as well. However, the media source that Egypt used to raise awareness was proven much more difficult in Bangladesh due to the lack of technology. In words of improvement for the program, I believe Egypt should then open its doors and send out their own health workers to neighboring countries that may be suffering from the very same disease so that Egypt can act as a sort of model country that
CPSP119F
11 February 2013
This case study focused on the millions of deaths caused by diarrheal disease in Egypt. It was recorded that in 1977, was found that in Egypt this disease was the cause of half of all infant deaths. Diarrheal disease results in dehydration which greatly contributes to those high mortality rates. The National Control of Diarrheal Disease Project of Egypt was created to promote the usage of oral rehydration salts which can reverse dehydration. This program strives to not only distribute the salts but also raise awareness about how to appropriately treat children with the disease, especially mothers. Also, the program focused on training and teaching all types of health workers in order for them to truly understand the disease that they were dealing with and how treatment would work. The success of the program included the increase in production of the necessary oral rehydration salts and the increase of usage of the salts by mothers who changed their normal feeding habits. Infant mortality in Egypt dropped by thirty six percent and child mortality overall declined by forty three percent. Sadly the program was only a ten year program however within those ten years the program was able to increase attendance at public health clinics for those suffering with diarrheal disease, people were now able to come out to the health clinics and get treated quickly, efficiently and in a cost-effective manner. The case study briefly touched on the topic of the same disease issue in Bangladesh. I found it very inspiring that the program existed there as well. However, the media source that Egypt used to raise awareness was proven much more difficult in Bangladesh due to the lack of technology. In words of improvement for the program, I believe Egypt should then open its doors and send out their own health workers to neighboring countries that may be suffering from the very same disease so that Egypt can act as a sort of model country that
Cited: CASE 8: Preventing diarrheal deaths in Egypt : Center for Global Development : Initiatives: Completed Initiatives: Millions Saved: Case Studies. (n.d.). Center for Global Development (CGD). Retrieved February 12, 2013, from http://www.cgdev.org/section/initiatives/_arch ive/millionssaved/studies/case_8