WHO Regional Director concludes an official visit to Egypt to promote health cooperation

WHO Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy met Dr Ali Al Ghamrawi, Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority. © WHO

26 July 2025, Cairo, Egypt – WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy has concluded an official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt.

During her visit, Dr Balkhy and WHO representative in Egypt Dr Ni’ma Abid met with H.E. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population Dr Khaled Abdul Ghaffar, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Dr Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Finance Mr Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Social Solidarity Dr Maya Morsi, President of the Egyptian Drug Authority Dr Ali Ghamrawi, President of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, Medical Supply and the Management of Medical Technology Dr Hisham Stait and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) Dr Sharif Al-Feel.

Dr Balkhy visited Ahl Masr Burns Hospital, where she met with the hospital’s founder Mrs Heba Al-Suwaidi. The visit aimed to strengthen cooperation between WHO and the hospital and facilitate the sharing of experiences in the treatment of burns with other countries in the Region.

During her meetings, Dr Balkhy talked with all parties about the importance of integrating health into all policies and sectors and highlighted the need to ensure access to safe, high-quality medical products without imposing financial burdens on patients. She also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation with various ministries to address the problem of substance use and reduce its impact on health, society and the economy.

Dr Balkhy commended Egypt’s role in providing health services to large numbers of conflict-affected people, including displaced persons from Sudan and patients evacuated from Gaza. Both groups receive health care on an equal footing with Egyptian citizens.

The Regional Director also commended Egypt’s achievements in eliminating infectious diseases such as malaria, measles and rubella, achieving regional goals for controlling hepatitis B and securing gold tier status in eliminating hepatitis C. She discussed the submission of files for certification for the elimination of other diseases and cooperation on the road safety file with the Minister of Health and Population.

Dr Balkhy commended the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) for becoming the first African country to attain maturity level 3 in the regulation of medicines and vaccines as a producer country, and discussed with EDA President Dr Ghamrawi the ways in which WHO can support the Authority’s advance towards maturity level 4 and its inclusion as a WHO-listed authority which will allow Egypt to expand the domestic manufacture of medicines and export them to other countries.

“I was delighted to visit Egypt and meet with national partners who share our commitment to achieve a healthier future for all. This visit underscores the depth of the partnership between the WHO and Egypt and highlights Egypt’s leading role in supporting health at the regional level. Together, we will continue working to make health an essential part of all policies and to promote self-sufficiency in medical supplies and human resources across the Region," said Dr Balkhy.

“WHO is proud of its strong partnership with the Egyptian government at all levels, and we renew our commitment to continue working closely with the Ministry of Health and Population and all partners. Egypt continues to play a regional leadership role and has an effective and clear vision for achieving universal health coverage. We believe that health is not just about services in hospitals; rather, it is shaped by policies and decisions that extend to all sectors. This visit provided an opportunity to foster dialogue with multiple actors, emphasizing that health is a common issue that requires policy coordination at all levels, not just within the health system,” said WHO Representative in Egypt Dr Ni’ma Abid.

Selected photos from the mission