Minister of Health: Egypt’s success story in eliminating Virus C is a strong restoration for the countries of the world
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, witnessed the celebrations of World Viral Hepatitis Day, which falls on July 28 of each year.
This came in the presence of the Ambassador of Switzerland to Egypt, Yvonne Baumann, Dr. Hanan Balkhi, Regional Director of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Nima Abed, representative of the Ministry of World Health in Egypt, a number of former health ministers, leaders of the Ministry of Health, and members of the National Committee for Combating Viruses.
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said that the story of the C virus in Egypt has become studied in many countries, and has given a strong impetus to all countries in the world that suffer from health problems, explaining that the story of this success goes back to more than 10 years of work paved by former ministers and teams. Working in virus centers and scientific committees, as well as scientific bodies affiliated with universities, until Egypt obtained international certification for eliminating Virus C during the past year, which represents a milestone in the field of global health.
The Minister explained that Egypt was among the countries fighting against hepatitis C, and thanks to the unwavering determination and tireless efforts made by Egypt, it achieved what many countries consider impossible, stressing that the “100 Million Health” initiative did not only bring about a transformation in the health scene in Egypt. It also set a global precedent in combating viral hepatitis.
The Minister noted the fruits of the initiative’s work, which contributed to reaching recovery rates of up to 99% and saving millions of lives, explaining that this achievement is not just a statistic, but rather represents the culmination of Egyptian efforts, innovative strategies, and the collective will of citizens and the Egyptian government. This achievement was It is a wonderful honor for Egypt to be the first country to receive the gold category from the World Health Organization for its pioneering efforts in eliminating hepatitis C.
The minister pointed out that this success places a great responsibility on the shoulders of the Egyptian state, as Egypt expanded its experience and transferred it to its brothers in African countries, which enhanced cooperation and knowledge exchange, and confirmed the joint commitment and cooperative efforts to overcome this challenge, not only within Egypt but throughout the continent. .
The Minister called on the international community to unify efforts in combating all forms of viral hepatitis, stressing Egypt’s constant readiness to exchange experiences in this field. The Minister also stressed the need to increase global funding to make testing and treatment easily available throughout the world.
For her part, Dr. Hanan Al-Balkhi, Regional Director of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean, praised Egypt’s efforts to become the first country to reach the gold level in the process of eliminating Hepatitis C, after it was the country most bearing the burden of this disease, noting that Egypt has become a source of inspiration for everyone. Those who seek to achieve public health in the Eastern Mediterranean region, noting that many countries in the region are on the cusp of launching national initiatives to eliminate hepatitis, stressing that what Egypt has done is the beginning of a new phase in which they are working hard to preserve the gains of this achievement.
The Swiss Ambassador to Egypt, Yvonne Baumann, said: “The success achieved by Egypt demonstrates the commitment and important development in the country’s healthcare system, as it is a strong model for other countries facing similar challenges in the field of public health, and we are pleased to have Swiss companies like Roche.” “We have a role as a key partner in this journey, and this highlights the strength of trade and investment relations between Egypt and Switzerland, which go back more than a century.”
