5 - 11 April 2001
Issue No.528
|
Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 5 - 11 April 2001 Issue No.528 |
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Tackling TB
Tuberculosis has always been a killer, but one unlikely group of fighters took on the beast. Amira El Noshokaty celebrates Egypt's oldest health care NGO
On 24 March, the world was asked to pause and think of something many of us would like to forget: Tuberculosis (TB). The bane of the Third World, TB has plagued Egypt relentlessly, but on World Tuberculosis Day, there was reason to reflect on those who have struggled to eradicate, or at least alleviate the suffering it causes.
A 1950 photo taken at the Tahsin Al-Siha social-services complex in the Haram district
(photo courtesy Tahsin Al-Siha archives)
In the 1930s, tuberculosis was more than just a disease in Egypt -- it was the source of economic disaster. Targeting the poor, TB doomed patients to years of financial desperation as the costs of treatment often crippled already impoverished families. And even when proper care is given, there is no guarantee that a patient will recover. A family might lose the breadwinner, and inherit the bills.
In 1936, seven teenagers fresh out of high school decided to pitch in and help the government deal with the disease. They were idealistic, but recognised the need for support outside the rigid framework of government programmes. "We joined efforts with Mahmoud Abaza, then director of the chest disease department at the Ministry of Health, and in as many cases as possible paid the hospital bills of TB patients, while assisting their families until the patient was able to take on work once again," recalls Sherifa Mehriz, one of the founding members and chairwoman of what became known as the Tahsin Al-Siha, literally, the health improvement association.
Tahsin Al-Siha was Egypt's first non-governmental organisation (NGO) specialising in health care, and while the emphasis has remained on tuberculosis, the group's mandate has expanded over the years to include education and financial aid to families of tuberculosis patients, as well as literacy classes and micro-loans. Today, the association has 26 branches nationwide servicing 2,500 patients annually.
In its early days, Tahsin Al-Siha was a vigorous and resourceful grass-roots organisation. Funds were scarce, and the group often raised money by throwing "lentil parties," charging donors 25 piastres for a dish of lentil soup and hoping for more from the rich and mighty. It became painfully clear from the outset, however, that financial aid was not the only thing patients needed. Overcrowded hospitals were only accepting the most critical TB cases and many patients were left to battle the disease at home, increasing the risk of infecting other members of the family.
In 1947, Tahsin Al-Siha rented 35 feddans from the Giza governorate and transformed a British military compound into a hostel for the children of tuberculosis patients. In 1954, two schools were built where children could board until their family home was safe to return to. Today, the compound also includes three homes for the elderly and accepts orphaned children. Without doubt, fund-raising has progressed from lentil parties to the more steady income of proceeds from a bandage factory. The group also hosts an annual fund-raiser, which pulls in some LE130,000, primarily through private donations.
For three years now, Said Mansour has received money and support from Tahsin Al-Siha. His condition has since become exacerbated by throat cancer, but he is at pains to express his gratitude to the organisation for their crucial assistance. Recovered patients are not forsaken. The group tries to help them find work and get back on their feet.
"People told us there is nothing you can do. You are nothing but a drop in the ocean," Mehriz remembers. Looking back, she is sure their efforts have not been in vain--but can they ever be enough?
TB figures
<*> According to World Health Organisation (WHO) figures, tuberculosis kills 115,000 people and infects another 650,000 people in the east Mediterranean region every year.
<*> The latest statistics indicate that the number of people infected with TB in Egypt has gone down from 160 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 1952, to 16 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to Hanem Zaher, general manager of the directory of chest diseases in Egypt.
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
| ARCHIVES Letter from the Editor Editorial Board Subscription Advertise! |
WEEKLY ONLINE: www.ahram.org.eg/weekly Updated every Saturday at 11.00 GMT, 2pm local time weeklyweb@ahram.org.eg |
 Al-Ahram Organisation |
Recommend this page