Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, stated that Egypt has become a regional hub for health investment and innovation, highlighting comprehensive healthcare reforms and expanding public-private partnerships. He spoke during a session at the Global Health Exhibition 2025 in Riyadh. He emphasized that every dollar invested in healthcare yields up to fourfold returns in economic and social benefits.
Abdel Ghaffar spoke at the session “National and Global Healthcare: Policy and Investment” at the Global Health Exhibition 2025 in Riyadh, attended by Saudi Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel. He stated that effective health policies form the foundation of resilient, equitable, and sustainable systems. He explained that Egypt’s experience demonstrates how strategic reforms, sound governance, and partnerships can drive integrated health transformation and economic growth.
Egypt is implementing wide-ranging reforms to build a strong, investment-friendly, and sustainable health system by empowering the private sector, strengthening regulation, promoting digital transformation, and localizing pharmaceutical industries. The country is carrying out 1,300 health projects worth EGP 177bn to improve efficiency and raise hospital bed capacity to 1.34 beds per 1,000 citizens.
The minister unveiled new investment incentives featuring the Greenfield model for constructing new hospitals and the Brownfield model for operating and upgrading existing public facilities, in coordination with the General Authority for Investment. He noted that Egypt’s new Concession Law No. 78 of 2024 enhances transparency and provides guarantees and incentives for healthcare investors.
In the digital sphere, the Universal Health Insurance System has delivered over 40 million medical services worth EGP 151bn and issued more than 20 million digital prescriptions, enabling full hospital digitization and the integration of AI and telemedicine tools.
On pharmaceutical manufacturing, Egypt has achieved 100% localization of Hepatitis C treatment at a cost of just $50 per patient, alongside 79% localization of modern antibiotics and 95.5% of eye solutions. Local insulin production reinforces Egypt’s regional leadership in biotechnology. The Egyptian Drug Authority has achieved WHO maturity level 3 and was selected among only six countries worldwide to receive mRNA vaccine technology transfer. Egypt’s expanding manufacturing capacity positions it as a pivotal player in regional pharmaceutical supply chains.
Abdel Ghaffar concluded by calling on regional and international partners to collaborate in expanding healthcare manufacturing, accelerating digital transformation, and advancing universal health coverage across Africa and the Middle East.