Legend
has it that the Pharoaonic ruler Queen Hatshepsut
herself suffered from psoriasis, and that
she used to travel from Luxor to Safaga for
treatment. But more important are the studies
that back it up. Menaville was the first major
resort to open in Safaga, and as a result
has a prime location with a large sandy beach
along Safaga's sheltered bay. As the guests
began to flow in, many of them noticed an
appreciable improvement in their rheumatoid
arthritis, a condition causing painful inflammation
of the joints, or psoriasis, a skin affliction
characterized by irritating patches of inflamed
and flaking skin. Management took an interest,
and alerted the Ministry of Scientific Research,
who delegated the National Research Center
to research the phenomenon. In 1993, two separate
but simultaneous studies were conducted on
the climatic effects of Safaga on both psoriasis,
and rheumatoid arthritis.
The initial field survey revealed that the
incidence of both conditions in the Safaga
area were well below international averages.
For psoriasis, it was .014% compared to an
international average of 1%, and for Psoriasis,
it was .008% compared to an international
average of 1-3%. Over a hundred rheumatoid
arthritis patients were selected to participate
in that study, and the psoriasis study included
80 cases.
In both studies, after an evaluation to determine
baseline disease conditions, patients spent
four weeks in Safaga under medical supervision
undergoing climatic therapy. For cases of
rheumatism, treatment consists of being covered
by local grey sand warmed by the sun twice
daily, followed by gentle walking. For psoriasis,
the therapy involves exposure to sun and immersion
in seawater twice daily.
The results, announced to an international
audience in 1994, were dramatic. Of the rheumatism
cases, 14% showed complete remission by the
end of the 4 weeks, while close to 60% showed
dramatic improvement. The rest showed moderate
to marked improvement, with only 6% showing
slight or no improvement. Of the control group
who were placed in an area in Egypt with similar
weather, but who did not undergo sand sessions
or have the benefit of other possible contributing
factors present in Safaga, there were no cases
of total remission, and only 5% showed dramatic
improvement. After six months, follow-up studies
with the patients confirmed the positive results,
with improvement persisting in 45% percent
of the patients, as opposed to just 25% in
the control group.
For the psoriasis study, the positive results
were even greater, with more than 50% of the
patients undergoing treatment experiencing
a total clearing up of their condition that
was sustained in the 3 month followup. A full
27% showed sustained excellent improvement
with very little deterioration observed at
follow up.
Skeptics
may point to the obvious: modern medicine
already recognizes the age old folk wisdom
that encourages arthritis sufferers to seek
dry heat and avoid cold and damp; and it doesn't
get much drier or hotter than the sands of
Egypt. It is also known that ultraviolet light
and mineral salts added to water both alleviate
psoriasis, so it is no surprise that a controlled
regime of sunlight cured. But there are contributing
factors in the environment of Safaga that
magnify the results.
The
secret of Safaga
For one thing, there's something in those
grey sands. Analysis shows that the sand collected
from the tidal areas contains three radioactive
elements in trace amounts: uranium, thorium,
and potassium 40. Ancient volcanic craters
at the bottom of the Red Sea point at the
source of these elements. High salt and mineral
concentrations found in the sand have also
been found to play a role in its therapeutic
qualities. But anecdotal evidence seems to
suggest that the sand only works in Safaga.
According to Dr. Medhat Abdel Hakim, director
of the climatic therapy clinic at Menaville,
a center in Aswan once collected some of the
special Safaga sands to use it to treat patients
there, but the results didn't measure up.
Similarly,
the Red Sea, already characterized by a high
salt content, is up to 35% more saline than
the global average in the gulf of Safaga,
which affects the equilibrium of the skin
via the altered flow of ions. This may in
turn allow certain gasses or other chemical
components to penetrate into the body that
may contribute to a healing effect.
Other
factors present in Safaga that are thought
to contribute to the healing climate effects
include the nearby mountains that act as a
natural barrier to harsh winds, cutting down
on dust levels, which means that more
ultraviolet
light penetrates through the atmosphere. In
addition, the level of ultraviolet light is
intensified by the calm, clear waters found
in the bays of Safaga and also by the wide
expanses of reflective sand on the beaches.
But, as Menaville General Manager Faisal Negm
was quick to point out, the psychological
factor of creating the right social atmosphere
for relaxation and healing cannot be discounted.
For the psoriasis patient in particular, psychological
status is known to be an influencing condition.
"We have clients that have been horribly
limited socially because of their illness.
When they come here, they find a welcoming
community with people who understand their
condition. As they get better, more of their
personality comes out, and they feel a happiness
here that keeps them coming back," he
explained.
Where
the environment takes care of business
Repeat business is always a bonus in the competitive
travel industry. Offering the tourist a good
time on the shores of the Red Sea and cultural
excursions to local historical monuments is
usually only good for a one time sale. But
offering long term relief for a painful condition
that affects the quality of their lives on
a daily basis is a pretty good incentive for
a return visit, and it's one that climatotherapy
clinics like the one at Menaville are banking
on.
Dr.
Medhat reports that his clinic has upwards
of a thousand patients a year. Of those, many
are Egyptians who may or may not choose to
stay at the resort as well as visit the clinic
for treatment, but international patients,
in particular from Germany, are on the rise,
particularly second or third time patients.
According to Tarek Adhan, Managing Director
Mena for Resorts and Hotels, the Kuwaiti ministry
of health regularly sends Kuwaiti citizens
to Safaga for treatment.
The
Dead Sea is Safaga's closest competitor, but
it has a drawback of being the lowest point
on earth, and people with certain physical
conditions such as arteriosclerosis, high
blood pressure, tuberculosis, kidney or liver
disease, hemorrhea, or nerve diseases may
suffer negative effects at 400 meters below
sea level.
The
water of the Dead Sea also contains higher
levels of Bromine, a substance that causes
skin sensitivity and allergic outbreaks in
some people. With proper marketing and worldwide
recognition, the Red Sea may be able to cash
in on the already popular Dead Sea medical
tourism market because of these differences.
Tarek Adham has a different approach, "I'd
like to see the tourism industry in this area
start thinking about the environment as an
ally, something that can contribute to your
profits," he said. "Most people
in the industry seem to think that the environment
is something you have to be careful not to
hurt because of laws and regulations, a burden
to take care of and protect. But there are
direct benefits from working in harmony with
the natural elements of an area, it is not
just a responsibility to endure, the environment
will also take care of you."
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Beyond
Diving: 
