Middle East CF Association (MECFA): Impact Overview Part 2
In our last blog post, we shared a little about MECFA’s mission, key objectives and principles. In today’s post, we are sharing just exactly how MECFA has been delivering on our key three objectives:
1: Early and Accurate Diagnosis
2: Training of Clinicians and Allied Health Professionals
3: Access to Essential Therapies
Early and Accurate Diagnosis
MECFA’S Impact To-Date: MECFA has donated 10 Iontophoresis units, 10 sweat chloride analysers, and supplies for 10,000 tests to hospitals in Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Azerbaijan, and Ethiopia. All hospitals and CF teams enrolled in this program are currently participating in diagnostic training being led by Dr. Susanna McColley funded by the CF Foundation. Future countries approved for diagnostic donations include Armenia, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tunisia, Palestine, Algeria, and Morocco.
Training of Clinicians and Allied Health Professionals
MECFA’S Impact To-Date: MECFA established the MaMi Project, a pilot feasibility program collaboration between the Marmara CF Center (Istanbul) and the Mott CF Center (Michigan) aimed to implement US-standard, multi-disciplinary CF Center in Istanbul, Turkey. This project established a care center able to manage all clinical aspects of patients with CF, following best evidence-based care guidelines and adapting them to the Turkish setting. MaMi trained a multidisciplinary expert CF Team based in Turkey under direct and continuous supervision of the University of Michigan (UM) CF Center, and the CF Foundation. The program focused on quality improvement (QI) projects, including: improving BMI, improving pulmonary function testing, and implementing Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) in the center. Marmara CF Center is now qualified to train clinicians and allied health teams in Turkey and surrounding countries following the MaMi projects principles. Within the first year of the program, pwCF treated at the Marmara CF Center saw significant improvement in their health outcomes.
Access To Essential Therapies
MECFA’s Impact To-Date: MECFA has established an Advocacy Committee that includes Dr. Preston Campbell, the former CF Foundation CEO and President. The MECFA Advocacy Strategy aims to leverage both internal and external resources (e.g., MECFA Advocacy Committee, MECFA member clinicians, patients and families, and consultants) to pursue a broad awareness and advocacy campaign to elevate the needs of patients and ultimately garner support from policymakers to include CF care in their annual budgets. In addition to advocacy on behalf of patients, MECFA also offers solutions to the high costs of CF drugs through the MECFA Access Program, (MAP). The goal is to ensure CF patients in MENA region have affordable access to specialized CF care and essential therapies that will extend their lives.
