EGYPT — The Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) has initiated the Egyptian-African Health Alliance, aiming to strengthen medical cooperation with African nations and bolster Egypt’s medical diplomacy efforts.

The launch event took place in Cairo, with several key stakeholders, including the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Population, the General Federation Of NGOs, and Wadi El-Nil Hospital.

The Egyptian-African Health Alliance, as outlined in its founding statement, seeks to serve as a bridge between Egypt and African countries, fostering collaboration and shared expertise in various healthcare domains.

Mohamadou Labarang, the Cameroonian Ambassador and Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps to Egypt, hailed the alliance as a unique project with noble service and development objectives.

Egypt’s Ambassador to Morocco, Ashraf Ibrahim, also the EAPD’s Secretary-General, emphasized the importance of enhancing Egypt’s contributions to South-South cooperation.

He highlighted Egypt’s commitment to launching capacity-building and health training programs in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Tamer Essam, Chairman of EDA, expressed that the alliance’s primary aim is to establish channels of cooperation with African nations while unifying pharmaceutical standards.

Hazem Khamis, Director General of Wadi El-Nil Hospital, outlined the alliance’s commitment to offering essential health services and surgical procedures to incoming African visitors and dispatching medical missions across the continent.

Hossam Hosny, Chairman of the Higher Committee for Health Specialties at the Ministry of Health and Population, explained that the alliance will serve as a conduit for connecting major international universities to provide scientific qualifications.

High-level training programs tailored to African expatriates will be a key focus.

The Egyptian-African Health Alliance is also actively involved in supporting Egyptian-funded healthcare facilities in African countries.

The AFRI Egypt Medical Centre in Jinja, Uganda, inaugurated in 2021, and the Egyptian Medical Center in Gambia, currently in its final construction stages, represent significant contributions.

Furthermore, Egypt aims to implement telemedicine service projects across Africa, supporting the private medical sector, including hospitals, laboratories, and radiology centers. The goal is to provide medical and therapeutic services to African nations.

In parallel, the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the South Africa Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to foster collaboration, particularly in the field of Hepatitis C products and antivirals, biological products, and medical devices.

The agreement, signed at the Egyptian Embassy in Pretoria, focuses on knowledge exchange and cooperation in market authorization, pharmacovigilance, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and clinical trials.

Egypt’s efforts to engage with African countries in medical preparations and supplies, share experiences, and promote Egyptian medical products globally are part of the broader mission.

Recently, Egypt hosted the first Africa Health EXCon, a significant African health conference that attracted delegates from government health entities in Africa and the Middle East, as well as over 350 pharmaceutical companies operating in more than 102 countries.

The conference highlighted Egypt’s achievements in healthcare, including the successful elimination of hepatitis C.

Additionally, Egypt’s pharmaceutical industry is expanding, with companies like GYPTO Pharma producing biotechnology drugs that can meet the demands of Egypt and the entire African continent.

Egypt is also among the selected African countries authorized to produce coronavirus vaccines.

Egypt’s push for increased pharmaceutical production across the continent is essential, particularly in light of drug shortages experienced during the global COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges.

The Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement (UPA), established in 2019, plays a pivotal role in bulk purchasing, reducing costs, and ensuring adequate medical supplies.

Egypt, under the leadership of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, has pledged to share 30 million doses of coronavirus vaccines with African countries to support their vaccination efforts.

Despite global vaccination progress, Africa still faces significant challenges in achieving widespread vaccination coverage. This situation is primarily attributed to vaccine unavailability, rather than reluctance or financial constraints.

President El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s readiness to collaborate with African nations across various domains during the Africa Health EXCon, emphasizing the importance of unity and cooperation in addressing shared healthcare challenges on the continent.

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