Roche announced that Egypt has emerged as a leader in the MENA region in adopting the Societal Value of Health framework through a trilateral collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the WifOR Institute. The partnership aims to shift healthcare from a cost to a long-term economic investment, aligning with Egypt's Vision 2030. A joint report highlights the benefits of health innovation in boosting productivity and national development.
In a trilateral collaboration between Roche Egypt, the Ministry of Health, and the WifOR Institute, Egypt has become a regional model in applying the Societal Value of Health framework. Ziyad El Ahwal, Head of Government Affairs, Health Policy, and Market Access at Roche Egypt, stated that the company's participation stems from a shared vision of transforming healthcare into a long-term economic investment. He explained that the partnership centers on a foundational report co-developed with the Ministry and WifOR, demonstrating how health innovation generates societal and economic returns in line with Egypt's Vision 2030.
El Ahwal highlighted Roche's nearly 40-year presence in Egypt, focused on introducing high-value diagnostic and therapeutic solutions while building local capabilities. In 2022 and 2023, the company partnered with GYPTO Pharma and Eva Pharma to support local manufacturing of advanced biologics, expanding Egypt's industrial capacity and scientific workforce. Roche has contributed to initiatives like the Presidential Initiative for Women’s Health, enhancing the full breast cancer care pathway from screening to treatment and follow-up, as well as hepatitis programs and a recent partnership with the General Health Insurance Authority to strengthen ophthalmic healthcare governance.
Dennis Ostwald, CEO of the WifOR Institute, described the framework as a scientifically grounded model showing health as an investment rather than an expenditure. Globally, the health sector contributed 7.6% to GDP in 2019—$6.3 trillion—and supported 194 million jobs. Unlike traditional Health Technology Assessment, which focuses on clinical effectiveness and direct costs, the model measures broader benefits like productivity gains, unpaid care, innovation, human capital, and fiscal resilience. In a joint breast cancer study, HER2-positive treatments in Egypt avoided $45 million in productivity losses—equivalent to 21% of the cost of building a specialized hospital—with 62% linked to unpaid labor such as caregiving.
Ostwald noted that the study covered only one breast cancer subtype and limited therapies, suggesting greater total value across all cancers. He praised Egypt as a leading example among low- and middle-income countries, driven by strong government leadership through the Ministry and Presidential Initiatives, enhancing economic resilience, health outcomes, and positioning it as a MENA pioneer with potential to inspire others.