Mansoura University President Receives Deputy Minister of Health and Population During Her Visit to the University to Discuss a Master's Thesis at the Faculty of Nursing.

Prof. Cherif Khater: Scientific Research and Integration Between Academic and Executive Institutions are Pillars for Developing the Healthcare System and Improving Maternal and Child Health

 Prof. Cherif Khater, President of Mansoura University, received Prof. Abla El-Alfy, Deputy Minister of Health and Population, during her visit to the university to participate in the discussion of a master's thesis at the Faculty of Nursing on the midwifery profession.

 The meeting was attended by Prof. Tarek Ghalwash, Vice President of the University for Graduate Studies and Research, Prof. Abeer Zakaria, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing at Mansoura University, and Prof. Amina El-Nemer, Dean of the Faculty of Nursing at Delta University.

 Prof. Cherif Khater welcomed Prof. Abla El-Alfy, expressing his appreciation for her visit and emphasizing Mansoura University's pride in its ongoing cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Population and the National Population Council. He affirmed the university's commitment to continuing joint coordination on national priority issues, foremost among them supporting efforts aimed at developing the midwifery profession and enhancing its position within the healthcare system, in line with the state's objectives in this area. The university president affirmed that Mansoura University is leveraging its academic, medical, and research capabilities to support the state's efforts in developing the healthcare system. This is achieved through preparing qualified personnel, encouraging research relevant to community needs, and utilizing its findings to enhance professional practices and improve the quality of services provided to citizens.

 He added that women's health, reproductive health, and maternal and child care are closely linked to family health and quality of life. This necessitates the integration of scientific qualification, practical training, and health awareness, in line with the goals of Egypt's Vision 2030 and the National Population and Development Strategy.

 Prof. Cherif Khater pointed out that studying community awareness and attitudes toward healthcare professions represents a crucial aspect of applied scientific research. This is because it allows for an understanding of beneficiaries' needs and the prioritization of awareness campaigns. He emphasized the importance of utilizing the results of these studies to support service development, enhance public trust in healthcare, and achieve integration between academic knowledge and practical application.

Prof. Tarek Ghalwash emphasized the importance of directing academic research toward issues related to women's health and societal needs. He pointed out that studying women's knowledge, opinions, and expectations regarding the midwifery profession allows for understanding their perceptions of this profession and provides a research foundation that can be used to raise societal awareness about it.

 He added that discussing this thesis in the presence of Prof. Abla El-Alfy strengthens communication between academic research and relevant stakeholders, and opens the door to utilizing the outputs of university studies to support national efforts related to maternal and child health. She expressed her appreciation for the collaboration with Mansoura University, praising the university's academic, medical, and research capabilities, and its role in preparing specialized personnel and supporting scientific research in health fields. He emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation with Mansoura University to support the state's efforts to reduce the rates of medically unjustified cesarean sections and expand the application of safe vaginal births. She noted that universities are key partners in developing medical practices, raising the efficiency of healthcare professionals, and disseminating awareness about the importance of vaginal births and the risks of resorting to cesarean sections without medical necessity.

 She explained that the current stage requires integrated efforts between the public and private sectors, along with monitoring cesarean section rates in the governorate, tracking the private sector's contribution to these rates, and working to establish an accurate and comprehensive database to record the number and types of births nationwide. This will allow for monitoring indicators, identifying the reasons for the high cesarean section rates, and developing appropriate interventions to reduce them. The Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of activating the midwifery program in Dakahlia Governorate and expanding training for physicians in skills to support natural childbirth. She also stressed the need to qualify midwives and enhance their role in providing continuous care to mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, in accordance with approved professional standards. This will contribute to improving the quality of maternal and child health services, reducing unnecessary medical interventions, and achieving the best health outcomes for mothers and newborns.

 Prof. Amina El-Nimr pointed to the importance of cooperation between nursing colleges and health institutions in supporting scientific research and exchanging expertise. This will enhance the development of nursing education and align its outcomes with the actual needs of the healthcare system.

 Following the meeting, Prof. Abla El-Alfy participated in the discussion of the Master's thesis presented by researcher Nagwa Ibrahim Hussein Mohamed, entitled "Women's Knowledge, Opinions, and Expectations about the Midwifery Profession." The thesis addresses women's level of knowledge about this profession and their perceptions of its role in maternal and child care. The supervisory committee included Prof. Amina El-Nemer, Professor of Women's Health and Midwifery Nursing and Dean of the Faculty of Nursing at Delta University; Prof. Samia Othman, Professor of Women's Health and Midwifery Nursing at the Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University; and Dr. Enas El-Beltagy, Assistant Professor of Women's Health and Midwifery Nursing at the Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University.

 The examining committee was chaired by Prof. Abla El-Alfy, Professor of Pediatrics and Neonatology at the Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, and Deputy Minister of Health and Population. Its members included Prof. Amina El-Nemer, Dr. Samia Othman, and Dr. Hala Thabet, Professor of Women's Health and Midwifery Nursing at the Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University.

 At the conclusion of the examination, the examining committee commended the thesis topic and its importance in highlighting women's knowledge of midwifery, their opinions, and expectations regarding it. The committee recognized the significance of this in supporting community awareness and developing maternal and child health services. The committee decided to award the researcher, Nagwa Ibrahim Mohamed, a Master's degree in the specialization, in accordance with its decision.