Programme for Burn Patients in Asyut

The Programme for Burn Patients in Asyut was established in 1989 by Professor Mahmoud El-Oteify, a plastic surgeon recognised by the ISBI (International Society for Burn Injuries) and the late Philippe Macchi (1948-1996), the head of a programme run by "Terre des Hommes", for children suffering of polio.

The "Fondation en Faveur des Enfants Brûlés" (FEB) was established to provide financial support to the programme.

For the first time in Egypt, a health centre was created to provide domestic burn victims from a rural and severely impoverished area with quality health care and surgery, free of charge. The centre includes a special physiotherapy unit for the burned patients. This unique programme has a medical, social and communal dimension to it.

Treatments are closely followed by a psychologist whose objective is to facilitate the patients’ social and professional rehabilitation. Furthermore, the team leads campaigns to prevent domestic accidents and provide health education, which all significantly contribute to reducing burn incidents and their degree of seriousness in this region. Puppet theatre and drama are used to create awareness on the part of the local rural populations.

In the four regions surrounding Asyut, the rate of domestic burns is very high. Within a population of approximately 12 million, there are 4 cases for every 1000 people. These burn accidents/incidents constitute a major risk for the rural populations of Upper Egypt. They mainly affect the poorest population and the most vulnerable groups: women and children. Burn treatments are long, painful and expensive.

Addax Foundation’s support aims to extend the medical and social team’s capacity to intervene on site. In the following year, the plan of action consists in:

building three additional rooms with all the necessary medical equipment;
purchasing a minibus for the transportation of patients, medical and paramedical personnel, material and merchandises;
replenishing of the medical equipment inventory;
continuing and developing prevention through shows, plays, information campaigns in the media, etc.;
training for medical and paramedical personnel of other health units in the region in order to improve the quality of care given to burn victims.

Location	Asyut (375 km away from Cairo) Egypt
Objective	Provide medical and social assistance to the many burn patients living in rural and poor regions of Upper Egypt
How	By supporting the Programme for Burn Patients in Asyut via the "Fondation en Faveur des Enfants Brûlés" (FEB)