Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar chaired the Lung Health Forum, which was held in cooperation with AstraZeneca, to discuss a plan to expand services related to lung health.
The Minister stressed that lung health begins with prevention and early detection of diseases, especially among the most vulnerable groups, adding that a presidential initiative is being prepared for this purpose.
Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, said that an extensive medical campaign to detect chest and lung diseases will be launched to establish an integrated database that will help identify the measures needed to protect the most vulnerable and treat those with thoracic diseases according to the latest diagnostic methods and treatment protocols.
Abdel Ghaffar added that the minister noted the need to intensify campaigns to educate people with chest diseases about ways of prevention and correct practices to avoid the occurrence of serious pathological complications, as well as educating young people, especially smokers, on the importance of preserving lung integrity, and introducing them to the dangers of chest diseases.
For his part, Hossam Hosni, the Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Medical Specialties, reviewed the future plan to expand services for chest diseases. He also reviewed the training provided to doctors who joined the Egyptian fellowship in the speciality of chest diseases, and the rates of demand for doctors to join that fellowship.
Hatem Al-Wardani, the Chairperson of AstraZeneca, affirmed the company’s keenness to work with all government agencies to meet the needs of the Egyptian patients through national initiatives, and provide medicines and awareness programmes.
