Instructor at Al-Zahra College of Medicine, Dr. Ragaa Ahmed Mahmoud supervises a postgraduate student at the Southern Technical University - College of Health and Medical Technology - as a second supervisor from University of Basrah - Al-Zahraa College of Medicine.

The College of Health and Medical Technologies discussed a master’s thesis entitled: (Burden of non-communicable diseases: Mortality, Morbidity, and trend in Basra during the period 2010-2020) for graduate student (Sadiq Abdul-Amir Rahma) at the Department of Community Health Technologies - College of Health & Medical Technologies.

The discussion committee consisted of:
•    Assistant Professor Dr. Amal Yassin Yousef / University of Basrah - College of Medicine / Chairman of the committee. 
•    Assistant Professor Dr. Muslim Thahir Mousa / Southern Technical University - Technical Institute - Nasiriyah / Committee Member.
•    Dr. Alaa Mheisen Toema / University of Dhi Qar / College of Nursing / Committee Member. 
•    MD. Shorouk Abdul Razzaq Hassan / Southern Technical University - College of Health & Medical Technology / Member & Supervisor. 
•    Dr. Rajaa Ahmed Mahmoud / University of Basra - Al-Zahra College of Medicine / Member & Supervisor.

The aim of the study was to assess the burden of chronic diseases by determining the extent of prevalence in addition to mortality and morbidity and to determine the correlation with the risk factors in Basra during the period 2010-2020.

The study showed an increase in both mortality and morbidity of chronic diseases as a result of the increase in the number of patients and deaths from 2010 to 2020. It also showed that the time trends of deaths due to NCDS was increased due to increase Cause Specific Death Rate from 223 per 100000 to 243 per 100000 at the beginning of 2020.

The study concluded an increase in the burden of chronic diseases in Basra through the increase in both deaths and their prevalence among the population due to the high prevalence of risk factors associated with these diseases.

The study recommended the importance of creating an electronic database in health institutions to register all patients diagnosed with the chronic diseases in all health institutions in order to determine the real number of people with these diseases to contribute to planning and providing special care requirements for this category of the population.

After discussing the thesis, the committee decided to accept the study and granted a master's degree in community health technologies to the student with a grade of “Excellent.