Egypt's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, stated that the historic and strategic ties between Egypt and Türkiye position bilateral health cooperation as a cornerstone for sustainable regional health security. Speaking at the opening of the 11th World Medical Congress in Ankara, he emphasized the end of full dependence on imported medicines and the need for integrated regional manufacturing. He highlighted Egypt's health achievements and called for a deep Egyptian-Turkish partnership in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.
During his address at the opening of the 11th World Medical Congress in Ankara, held from 24 to 26 November 2025, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar highlighted Egypt's major progress in combating infectious diseases. The country has completely eliminated hepatitis C after screening 63 million citizens, reducing prevalence from over 14% to 0.38%, earning it the first global World Health Organization gold certification for this achievement.
Egypt has also controlled hepatitis B, eliminated trachoma by 2025, and declared itself malaria-free after a century-long battle, bolstered by advanced electronic surveillance systems. These public health gains align with unprecedented growth in Egypt's pharmaceutical sector, which now includes 179 factories supplying more than 90% of the nation's drug needs.
In vaccine production, facilities like VACSERA and the Egyptian Drug City 'Gypto Pharma' have emerged as regional hubs, capable of producing 2-3 million doses annually, with a storage capacity of 60 million doses and plans to expand to 700 million by 2027. This reflects 15 nationwide public health initiatives, the National Genome Project as a foundation for precision medicine, and Egypt's leadership in the first global resolution on rare diseases.
The Universal Health Insurance System, aimed at covering all Egyptians by 2030, will create a unified healthcare market for 110 million people. Abdel Ghaffar called for a deep Egyptian-Turkish partnership in pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology, and scientific research, offering support through the 'golden licence' mechanism and exceptional investment facilitations. He noted that such cooperation could serve as a regional model for health security and sustainable development.