Geographic Area: City of Alexandria

Area of Development: Social and Human Development

Sector: Health

Executive body: DGCS (direct management)

Institutional counterpart: Medical Research Institute – University of Alexandria

Other Funding Parties: -

Beneficiaries: Health care personnel; local communities

Period of implementation: 2001 - 2004

Amount and nature of the funds: Bilateral channel. 1,742,834 Euro [grant]  

Type of intervention:

Technical assistance, training, supply of durable goods, capacity building, construction of civil works

Objective:

Combating the most common infectious diseases in Egypt (schistosomiasis, fasciola and hepatitis B and C)  

Description of the project:

This initiative is divided into five main components:

1. functional intervention, (construction works and biomedical equipment),

2. institutional intervention,

3. diagnosis,

4. research and training and

5. management of the new MRI.

This will be achieved through the enhancement of the capacities of the MRI in order to guarantee excellent services of diagnosis, personnel training and scientific research.

Medical Technology Center for Research and Services

Extension of

Medical Research Institute University of Alexandria

The principal strategic goal of this project agrees with University of Alexandria strategies to establish centers of excellence in the fields of health, technology development and information technology. The MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND SERVICES is considered one of these centers. This Center, with the help of the Italian scientists, and in collaboration with the WHO and other national and international agencie3s can provide quality research and training programs to personnel from Egypt, Middle East, and Africa in subjects of interest and importance to the region. This would upgrade health and improve the quality of the life of the inhabitants of this part of the world.

The main objectives of this center are:

1.     Cooperation with local and international universities, research institutes, and laboratories in conducting research programs.

2.     Performing training courses for doctors and technicians on different laboratory techniques and instruments.

3.     Providing technical consultation to private organizations and local industries to improve and maintain the quality of their work.

4.     Providing laboratory services  for all members form all faculties of the University of Alexandria.

Infrastructure

In order to create an efficient work environment and to house the scientific equipment donated by the Italian Government, it was agreed that a building would be erected to satisfy these specifications.

The building is a 5-component complex with proper landscaping and services.

Building A is a 2-story building that houses:

On the first floor

• The administrative offices

• Library facility with Internet connection, Medline, Document Delivery in addition to a considerable collection of biomedical journals and books.

On the second floor, there is an eight-room guesthouse, which can accommodate up to 12 guests of visiting experts and trainers, with all the necessary services.

Building B is a 2-story structure. The first floor includes the clinical research facilities:

• Imaging Diagnostic Unit

• CT Scan

• Ultrasound Scanner

• X-ray Unit

• Dark Room

• The Endoscopy Unit

• ECG Unit

• Clinical Chemistry Laboratory

• Electron Microscopy

• The Pathology Unit

• Hematology Laboratory

• The Second floor: Research laboratories, they include:

• Atomic Absorption Unit

• Chromatography Unit

• Gas chromatography

• HPLC

• Immunology & Tissue Culture Unit

• Virology

• PCR Unit

• Hot Laboratory for Radioisotopes

• Parasitology Laboratory

• Water Hygiene (Ultra filtration System)

• Seminar Room B

• Epidemiology Unit

• Shared Facilities

• Sterilizing and Washing Room

Dark Room	ECG Unit	ECG Unit	Clinical Chemistry Laboratory	Electron Microscopy
PCR Unit HPLC

Building C contains the Animal house that is designed for breading small experimental animals with facilities for fish and snails. It is comprised of the following:

• Quarantine Room

• Cleaning Room

• Sterilization Room

Laboratories for:

• Animal infection

• Treatment

• Sacrifice

• Dissection

• Tissue and Organ Sampling

Building D houses:

• Printing Center

• Mechanical Room

• Water Treatment

• Boilers

• Electricity Control Panel

• Spare electricity Generator

• Workshop for maintenance

Building E is a small building that comprises the main entrance and the elevator and serves as a connection between buildings A and B.

Personnel

A group of research supervisors, post-doctoral scientists, post-graduate fellows was carefully chosen to conduct a training course in Italy by full immersion in the scientific environment and they are now in response of different units in the Center. Young, energetic and promising junior auxiliary Personnel such as librarians, veterinarians, administrative staff and laboratory and maintenance technicians were chosen to optimize the research activity carried out in the Center.