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Abstracts
M. Mahfouz, MB. ChB, DMRE (Cairo), FRCR (London)
Professor of Oncology and Ex-chairman of Kasr El-Aini Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Center, Cairo University
Health Promotion:
A Human Responsibility
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Since the creation of life, the maintenance and sustenance of health has been one of the primary tasks of all bio-systems. Thus, health promotion is an integrated and instinctive psychosomatic biological process.
It is worthy of recapitulation that God the Almighty has granted the right to life to all the unicellular and multi-cellular organisms that exist on earth. It is, therefore, the responsibility of all living creatures to sustain this gift. In the case of mankind, this responsibility is exercised through the use of knowledge - acquired through careful observation and used to aid adaptation to differing climates and cultures. Such knowledge has for long been stored and accumulated as memories and in the written word and today, vast quantities can be made available through electronic storage devices. Knowledge is transmitted through education and training to present and future generations. In this address, I will consider 5 main topics.
- The role of biology in the emergence of civilization.
- Knowledge accumulation and the evolution of civilization.
- The importance of the physical development and education of children and their mothers.
- Healthy behavior.
- Responsible policies for health maintenance and environment control.
The available historical and anthropological evidence shows the importance of ancient Egyptians to the development of civilization as we know it. They benefited from optimal meteorological conditions and, for the most part, an abundance of food and water, and were among the earliest peoples to develop systems of agriculture and writing. Since ancient times there has been an enormous degree of human migration – peaceful and otherwise, and genetic mixing. This has resulted in constant technology transfer and progressive accumulation of knowledge and its innovative use. Unfortunately, most developing countries are suffering from overpopulation associated with slow economic growth, thus drastically restricting their ability to keep up with the soaring cost of medical care. In the context of strategies for health maintenance, or control, including cancer control, special importance must be given to the following principles:
- The eradication of illiteracy and the education of females, especially in the child bearing age (15-45 years).
- The safe physical and psychological development of the nervous system.
- The prevention of disease and the early detection of health problems at community, population and individual levels.
- The promotion of health awareness among all peoples.
- The adoption of strategies to protect the environment.
- The inclusion of new knowledge from an understanding of the molecular basis of disease into educational programs for medical, paramedical and veterinary professionals.
In particularly poor populations, the individual has much less control over factors which affect his or her health. To improve this situation, it will be important to promote the participation of individuals and families, as well as community leaders, in health promotion strategies. Communication will need to be improved through using the most effective channels, such as religious advisors and relevant media, including radio, television and video films that can be shown in community centers. While the cooperation of the corporate world would greatly help, effective strategies must involve governments and intergovernmental cooperation. In this respect, the World Health Organization (WHO) has a vital role to play, and we welcome the new Resolution on Cancer Prevention and Control approved by the Executive Board of the WHO, for adoption at the next World Health Assembly. Equally important are plans to develop a Global Cancer Control Strategy and a Report on Global Cancer Control - projects that will be supported by Cancer Technical Groups and a WHO Cancer Network of Partners. Organizations such as INCTR will have an important role to play in these new and exciting developments.
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