SCOPH is a forum for active discussion for medical students who work together to improve the public's awareness, encourage them to take on healthy life styles and get rid of wrong health beliefs, which are the major factors in most health issues that we face in our country.

In Egypt, we deeply believe in the vital role that should be played by the Public Health sector and are compelled to and concerned with all issues that affect Public Health. The SCOPH team gathers medical students from many universities all over Egypt. Together we work hand in hand for the good of the public’s health and to promote public awareness.

Mission:

Our mission is to offer Egypt’s future physicians a comprehensive introduction to public health issues, who will in turn improve public health awareness. We are dedicated to try to influence the public health status in Egypt.

Activities:

Through SCOPH, medical students work together to improve our public health status. We are equipped with the basic health awareness information that will help us to be productive in our communities and strive to implement seeds for “prevention is better than cure” lifestyle amongst various strata in our community. Egypt’s SCOPH team is determined to establish and implement strategies for different public health related barriers in Egypt.

Projects:

- National Anti-Hepatitis Campaign

- Nosocomial National Research Competition

- Anti-Tobacco Awareness Campaign

National Anti-Hepatitis Campaign:

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated two billion people have been infected with the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), and more than 350 million have chronic (long-term) liver infections. An estimated 600,000 person’s die each year due to the acute or chronic consequences of Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B vaccine is 95% effective in preventing HBV infection and its chronic consequences, and is the first vaccine against a major human cancer.

Through the National Anti-Hepatitis Campaign, IFMSA Egypt’s SCOPH team aims to improve the knowledge on Viral Hepatitis and influence behaviour change. The campaign will be held throughout the Egyptian Universities and will include HBV vaccination for the youth.

An opening event has been organized to announce the start of the campaign. A 2 day communication workshop has been conducted to orient volunteers, share experience, develop monitoring and evaluation process and forms, and design the work plan and the coordinating mechanism. Fixed booths are being

installed for 2 weeks in University campuses, staffed by students from Faculty of Medicine who are trained to provide information and

answer questions on viral hepatitis. Volunteer students will be dressed in T-shirts featuring the campaign logo and slogan. Students visiting the booth will be asked to fill in a questionnaire to assess the level of knowledge of viral hepatitis. Seminars are being held at the different faculties featuring speeches and discussions between students, Deans, prominent medical professionals, and celebrities.

Nosocomial National Research Competition:

As defined by the World Health Organization, nosocomial infections are infections occurring in a patient in a hospital or other health care facility in whom the infection was not present or incubating at the time of admission. This includes infections acquired in the hospital but appearing after discharge, and also occupational infections among staff of the facility. Hospital-acquired infections add to functional disability and emotional stress of the patient and May, in some cases, leads to disabling conditions that reduce the quality of life IFMSA-Egypt SCOPH’s team is tackling this issue through a national research competition on nosocomial infection.

Anti-Tobacco Awareness Campaign:

As reported by the World Health Organization, tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the world and one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. It kills 5.4 million people a year.

IFMSA-Egypt’s SCOPH team outreaches to students of all ages and the public in general aiming to raise awareness about the lethal effects of tobacco smoking.

World Diabetes Day:

The public health committee of the students' scientific society (a full member of the International Federation of Medical Students' Association, Egypt branch) at Kasr Al Ainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, is organising an exceptional campaign to mark World Diabetes Day. The activity will involve one of the oldest, most prestigious, and most popular soccer clubs in Egypt - Al Ahly.

Our well-trained volunteers will measure the blood glucose levels of the members of Al Ahly, in addition to delivering an awareness message about diabetes, how to live with it, how to avoid its risk factors, and other general information about the disease.

All this information will be contained in a creatively deisgned brochure that will be distributed freely among the club members.

A marathon will take place, promoting healthy lifestyle. Many celebrities and football players are expected to participate and huge media coverage is expected.

At the end of the day, an interactive lecture will be given by prominent national Endocrinology professors.

The SSS blue logo on the white T-shirts of the young, and highly enthusiastic organizing committee will surely contribute to bringing diabetes to light.