Professor Mohamed Soussi Soltani: Leader, Innovator and Researcher in Public Health.

Mohamed Soussi SOLTANI (June 27, 1953 - March 2, 2016) is Professor of Preventive and Community Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of Monastir (Tunisia). The objective of this paper is to present, to new generations of the specialty in the Greater Maghreb, this leading teacher from the Center-East of Tunisia (Monastir), through the testimonies of his companions, and his indexed publications. All the colleagues of the late SOLTANI testified to his high human and professional qualities, particularly perseverance, commitment, forward thinking, integrity and professionalism. The scientific life of the late Professor Soltani was oriented towards two major themes: Public Health and Family Medicine. Indeed, the deceased has developed several new preventive activities in first-line structures such as anonymous and free HIV screening, family planning, rational use of drugs, breast cancer screening, smoking cessation, prevention of rheumatic heart disease. Pr SOLTANI welcomed general practitioners from the Monastir region to the Faculty's Community Medicine Department, creating with them a movement to advocate for the academic and professional development of general medicine into an authentic specialty of family medicine. Out of the 34 publications of Professor SOLTANI, indexed on PubMed, 11 were signed by himself in first position, mainly relating to maternal health (prenatal surveillance, education for maternal health, pregnancy referral system) and infant (low birth weight, vaccination, mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae). Thus, with a life prospering by innovations and research in public health, Professor SOLTANI will always remain a model for young people in the specialty of Preventive and Community Medicine. His followers have an obligation to write his complete biography, to safeguard it and pass it on to new generations of public health.

Place of the periodic medical check-up in basic health care in Tunisia.

The objective of primary health care is to reduce mortality and morbidity. This kind of care was very efficient in communicable diseases, malnutrition and maternal and neonatal diseases; however, their impact on non communicable diseases and mental disorders control is not obvious. In Tunisia, primary health care was introduced in the early 1980s; a lot of progress were notified in particular in health of mothers and children in particular, but only slightly in non communicable diseases control and mental health promotion. Therefore, a new approach would be strongly recommended to remedy this situation. The Medical Periodic Check-up (MPC) implemented in North America would have a positive impact in the prevention and management of non communicable diseases. What would be the place of this MPC in primary health care in Tunisia? The MPC has two main objectives: the prevention of specific diseases and health promotion. However, despite its efficiency and usefulness, the MPC could be costly, especially for countries with limited resources. Current evidence suggests that the most appropriate approach would be to take periodic preventive health visits tailored to the level of risk. The frequency of visits depends on the age, sex and state of health of the individual. In conclusion, there are strong arguments in favor of the introduction of MPC in primary health care in Tunisia, especially among adults in non communicable diseases control strategy. However, it's highly be recommended that the BMC should be oriented according to the risk levels in order to optimize resources. It is also important to educate and the public, especially women and young adults, to benefit from periodic medical and dental examinations.

Health screening strategies in Maghreb countries: Situation Analysis and perspectives.

BACKGROUND: The aim of screening is to improve individual health through an early detection of diseases at a stage where the prognosis of disease could be significantly. However, this kind of intervention is costly and it's necessary to respect criteria in selection of targeted diseases and screening tests. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe public health screening policy in the Maghreb countries in order to identify the main barriers to the development of this type of intervention. METHODOLOGY: This study is a literature review of screening practices and policy in Maghreb countries. For this purpose, we conducted a global search in MEDLINE, as well as in the websites of the Ministries of Health of Maghreb countries; we also asked also key persons in the different countries to provide us useful t information concerning screening in their countries. RESULTS: Antenatal and neonatal screening is generally limited to a few pilot experiments such as screening for congenital hypothyroidism and phenylketonuria and deafness. Regarding school population, screening of certain diseases such as dental disorders, infectious diseases including tuberculosis, overweight and obesity, visual impairment, is carried out during periodic medical visits. Among adults, screening is often opportunist; it is performed in patients who use primary care health centers; the main targeted diseases are cervical, breast cancer and colorectal cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis. Screening coverage, especially for cancers, remains relatively low; for example, in Tunisia, this coverage was 12.7% for at least one cervical smear in the last five years; while for an annual clinical breast examination, this proportion was 33.2%. CONCLUSIONS: It is strongly recommended to improve coverage by screening, especially for cancers through educational actions of the population highlighting the high chances of cure in case of early detection, training of care staff and improvement, access to screening benefits.

[Head and neck cancer of aircrew personnel in aeronautical medical expertise]. / Les cancers ORL chez le personnel navigant en expertise aéronautique.

BACKGROUND: ENT cancers due to their location and treatment encompass a number of physical symptoms related to swallowing and communication disorders. AIM: To evaluate flight capacity of aircrew personnel with ENT cancer and consequences on fitness and waiver criteria. CASES REPORT: Case 1: A 52 years old smoker pilot whish present laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma staged T3M0N0 and treated by total laryngectomy with curative radio-therapy (70Gy). Metastasis occurred on lumgth and death heaped after acute respiratory failure. Case 2: A 55 years old mechanic whish had rhinopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma staged T4N2M0 and treated with radiochemotherapy with favourable follow-up. Inability for flight was proclaimed because of severe psychological impact. Case 3: Concerned a vesiculograpillary carcinoma of thyroid gland occurring in a 46 years old helicopter pilot. After total thyroidectomy and iodine treatment, the patient has obtained complete fitness to flight. CONCLUSION: Fitness to flight can be controversed in ENT cancer occurs. Epidemio-clinical paraclinical, functionnel and operational criterias must be considered when wainer to be proclaimed.