Global event in Egypt

Agenda for the World TB Day event in Egypt

In preparation for the World TB Day 2003 campaign, representatives from WHO, EMRO and The Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt, were invited to attend a frequently watched and highly rated Egyptian TV programme called “Haza el Massaa” i.e. “Tonight”. The 2-hour-show, hosted and presented by the famous: Samir Sabry, is broadcasted every other Friday night, peak time viewing on the Egyptian Channel 1 and a week later on the Egyptian Satellite Channel.  

Two speakers from WHO, EMRO, namely Dr Zuhair Hallaj, Director of the Division of Communicable Disease Control and Dr Akihiro Seita, Regional Adivisor Stop TB spoke briefly about the TB situation in the EMR Region and more extensively about the DOTS strategy as a successful method of fighting TB and about the global partnership efforts to stop TB. Dr Hallaj, who is also WR Egypt, emphasized on the great role played by the Egyptian Ministry of Health and its political commitment to TB control. The National TB programme representative, Dr Essam El Moghazy addressed the issue of accessibility of treatment and the availability of free TB drugs in Egypt. Finally, Dr Mayssa Sharaf El Dine, a Chest professor in Cairo University was given a chance to highlight to the viewers of the “Tonight” show some of the main prevention and diagnostic aspects with regards to TB as a no-longer fatal disease. 

Realizing the immense power of mass media, especially TV, in creating social mobilization and in raising public awareness, broadcasting such an educational message about TB control activities and the coming World TB day event was a great opportunity to all partners working in the field of TB control.