Date: 7/1/2009
TUMSPR News: Dr. Gezairy, the regional director for the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Mediterranean Region (EMRO), alongside Dr. Samin Sediq, participated in a meeting held at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) to discuss the ministerial programs and visit the newly established swine influenza laboratory at the Faculty of Public Health on June 30, 2009.
Dr. Gezairy, the regional director for the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Mediterranean Region (EMRO), participated in a meeting held at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) Faculty of Public Health in a ministerial briefing session on the actions taken towards swine flu pandemic and visit the newly established swine and avian influenza laboratory at the Faculty of Public Health on June 30, 2009.
The attendant to the meeting included Dr. Bagher Larijani, TUMS Chancellor, Dr. Ambrogio Manenti, the World Health Organization representative to Iran, Dr. Samin Sadiq from EMRO, Dr. Marandi, the former health minister, Dr. Imami-Razavi, the vice-minister for health, Dr. Mesdaghinia, the dean of TUMS Faculty of Public Health and Dr. Gooya, the head of ministry of health Center for Disease Control and Combat and a few health experts from the ministry and the university.
The vice-minister for health in his brief introductory presentation divided the undertaken activities in his power into two domains: Preparatory actions against H1N1 Swine Influenza virus and Non-communicable diseases.
Later on Dr. Gooya, the head of the center of Disease Control and Combat at the Health Ministry, asked one of the experts at the office to go over the activities taken to tackle swine influenza in detail. The activities were on six axis including 1- programming and coordination, 2- surveillance, 3- prevention and control, 4- health care facilities, 5- education, and 6- research.
Developing the national strategic plan to fight avian influenza has had a positive role in combating the swine variation of the disease, as said by Dr. Hemati while presenting the aforementioned activities, among them supplying seasonal flu vaccines in figures surpassing tens of thousands, medications such as Tamiflu, strengthening and supplying two hundred district hospitals, building about 100 negative pressure rooms (ICUs) 72 of which have been funded by WHO, online reporting system, more than 250 TV programs and 400 radio broadcasts, and thousands of educational classes held at health centers, health houses, hospitals, etc.
Upon being briefed, the affiliated faculty member of TUMS, Dr. Gezairy, said: “You have done a good job in preparation for swine flue and even you are doing better than others in the region”. Then he added “We didn’t know the disease before its quick spread into America” and by reminding the number of suspected cases that CDC has mentioned to be around 1000,000, said “we have every reason to be worried and the recommendations proposed by the WHO encourage us to regard the disease equal to human and avian influenza and act accordingly”. Then he wished that the new vaccines would emerge in a couple of years and hinted at the push for the vaccine and its preparation in Switzerland, France and the USA.
Hopefully the disease does not much affect those above 65, showing a prior contact and antibody formation against it, as the director said and the course of the disease is not very grim but with a sway of mortalities from country to country, eg. Mexico compared to the US. And added that “Practically, no country is immune to the disease but what is important is to contain the disease”.
On the extent of the help, Gezairy said that “ WHO would be more than happy to give you as much as know how and transfer of technology and WHO relatively has strategic supplies of Tamiflu to help countries in need”.
Non-communicable diseases report comprised another part of the session and included activities throughout the country to control hypertension, diabetes mellitus and the statistics of cancer registry program, congenital hypothyroidism screening, the advantages of employing genetics in the control and treatment of noncommunicable diseases such as thalassemia major, PKU, G6PD, Dawn syndrome.
Noting the high prevalence of thalassemia in Iran, Dr.Gezairy suggested screening for the disease to take place at the start of secondary education before any committments take place which Dr. Marandi hinted at chances for psychological burden. Gezairy clarifying that the measurement to be practiced in overly affected areas.
Dr. Larijani, TUMS Chancellor, who is the head of the Endocrinology and Metabolism Reasearch Center too, suggested the problem-oriented joint research in the region which would benefit all, such as research on the diet and level of physical activity of the residents in the region leading to the preparation of dietary guidelines. The suggestion was welcomed by the EMRO director, Dr. Gezairy, and he pointed to the need for creating zones people could walk, understand more about nutrition. He emphasized on the role of women in shaping the social behavior.
Later on, the group visited the newly established avian and swine flu influenza laboratory, funded by WHO, polio, measles and rubella national laboratories, being presented by Dr. Mesdaghinia, the school’s dean and Dr. Mokhtari Azad, the renowned faculty member and virologist. She later explained that the national human influenza lab of the school to be one of the oldest in the region.
Picture gallery.
http://publicrelations.tums.ac.ir/gallery/detail.asp?galleryID=689
http://publicrelations.tums.ac.ir/english/news/detail.asp?newsID=12599
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