The Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population has signed a memorandum of understanding with Roche Diagnostics to establish a national digital pathology network, aimed at enhancing diagnostic capabilities and speeding up cancer detection across Egypt. The agreement was signed at the Egyptian Center for Disease Control in the presence of Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, the Health Minister. This initiative represents a strategic step toward precision medicine and digital diagnostics.
The Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population has signed a memorandum of understanding with Roche Diagnostics to launch a national digital pathology network. The project aims to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning through a nationwide digital infrastructure. The signing took place at the Egyptian Center for Disease Control (EGYCDC), with Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, the Health Minister, present. He described the initiative as "a strategic step towards precision medicine and digital diagnostics, providing a nationwide digital infrastructure to improve diagnostic accuracy and support better treatment planning."
The memorandum was signed on behalf of the ministry by Mohamed Hassani, Assistant Minister for Health Initiatives, and by Moataz Nassef, Chairman of Roche Egypt Diagnostics. The first phase will cover seven key locations, including the EGYCDC, the Egyptian Center for Medical Research at Ain Shams University, Nasser Institute Hospital, the ministry’s central laboratories, and specialized oncology centers in Sohag, Kafr El-Sheikh, and Beheira.
The network will convert pathology samples into digital images that can be analyzed using artificial intelligence, helping to bridge geographic gaps between patients and specialists. The minister noted that the presidential Women’s Health Initiative has already reduced the average time from suspected diagnosis to treatment from 270 days to 49 days, with a future target of 28 days. Digital pathology tools could increase diagnostic accuracy to around 92%, compared with approximately 85% using traditional methods.
Moataz Nassef stated that the agreement reflects Roche Egypt’s long-term partnership with the ministry to advance diagnostic technologies and strengthen the healthcare system. Thomas Baumgartner, Deputy Head of Mission at the Swiss Embassy in Egypt, highlighted that the initiative underscores growing Egypt-Switzerland cooperation in healthcare innovation and strengthens the country’s diagnostic capabilities.