Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population of Egypt, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, participated on Tuesday in the 71st session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, held in Qatar under the slogan “Health without Borders.”
In his speech, the minister stressed that the current explosive conflicts in Palestine, Sudan and Lebanon have seriously disrupted health systems and deteriorated health outcomes for countless individuals, affirming that Egypt stands in solidarity with its brothers in Palestine, Sudan and Lebanon, providing humanitarian support and health assistance to alleviate their suffering.
Abdel Ghaffar said that one of the biggest challenges facing the formulation of health policy in the Eastern Mediterranean Region is the diversity that characterizes the region, from large disparities in income, social conditions and access to technology, which in turn leads to large disparities in health.
He explained that no single solution or policy can effectively meet the unique needs of each country, so this diversity must be considered a distinctive feature of the region and benefited from by taking advantage of the best practices and capabilities that each country has.
The minister added that the WHO’s 14th General Programme of Work provides an excellent basis for this approach, as it emphasizes the importance of effective partnerships with countries to maximize positive impacts on public health, and calls for amending WHO’s operational strategies to enhance effectiveness at the country level.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that political commitment to universal health coverage, along with investment in strong health systems, are key elements for achieving long-term stability, security and prosperity in the region.
He pointed out that the Egyptian government is working tirelessly to expand the scope of manufacturing medicines and vaccines to meet local needs and support other countries, noting that Egypt was selected in 2022 as one of the countries eligible to receive mRNA technology for manufacturing vaccines through the WHO Global Initiative and working in parallel to enhance international cooperation through the Accelerating Vaccine Manufacturing Mechanism in Africa (AVMA). Egypt is also participating in the ongoing negotiations in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on the Pandemic Treaty.
Nevertheless, Abdel Ghaffar announced Egypt’s welcome of the Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its 79th session, which is a strong affirmation of our collective commitment.
He further called on all countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region to participate in the second edition of the World Conference on Population, Health and Human Development, which will be held from 20 to 25 October in Cairo, under the patronage of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
