Family Attachment Program (FAP) Ahfad University for Women Dr. Amal ELdardiry Director of FAP-School of Medicine AUW

 Initiated in 1994 as part of PHC  Independent 1996 as longitudinal course (2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th )  Total no. of students involved 300+(150 annually)  Population served 700 Households (Women, Men, Youth, Children, Elderly)

Objectives: a) Students: 1.To provide practical and skilled-based opportunities for Med. Stud. for first hand experience with the community cultural norms, attitudes, and practice towards health and illness. 2. To enable students develop skills and commitment to educate patients and families.. 3. To act as promoters and providers of preventive as well as curative medicine. 4. To become compassionate about community needs and interest.

b) Community: 1. Raise awareness in areas of Health & disease 2. Enhance referral to H.C & Teaching Hospital. 3. Communication with the medical students gives them self esteem.

The program: Starts phase II – 2 nd yr-medicine – 3 nd yr-medicine phase III – 4 th yr-medicine

Phase II Three introductory lectures: a) Skill communication b) Counseling c) H. Environment (by Observation) d) Role play in class +ve & -ve approach to the families.

Practical work Preparations:  Selection of the area through coordination with the locality and peoples committee.  Pairs of students are attached to one family.  To observe, practice and apply principles of CM [PHC, RH, Nut, HE] to family members.

Issues addressed: All activities = address Child Health 20 " Maternal H &Rep. H 20 " The needs of the families emphasizing any H. problem  Family visit addresses the members of the family mainly as H.E. messages.  This program is run by the faculty members and Med. School alumni.

1 st session According to the topic of choice:  Tutorials and G. Discussions: Brain storming preceding the visit.  Area visit to families (core of prog).  G. Discussion-feed-back of the visit.

Successes and lessons learnt: For the community:  Referral mechanism through cards to Ahfad Health Center & Ombada Teaching Hospital.  Subsidized charges increased the no. of comers for ANC& FP.  20% increase of these services (AUW study, 2006).  Prevailing H. problems raised the interest for community-based researches by the medical students.

For Students:  Ability to be polite and agreeable in addressing community members.  Gained skills in being able to approach delicate matters related to health in appropriate manner.  Ability to address community problems and help solve them.  Ability to become compassionate about com. needs and further engagement to address some of them.

Conclusion:  FAP has clearly an important impact on health outcomes in underserved communities.  Provides valuable experience to the students involved.  FAP is an excellent model for university based community engagement.

Awards Mac JANNET and TAILLOIRES Network Global Citizenship Award The FAP was short listed among 22 out of 75 programs in 59 Universities in 26 countries

Thank you

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