Egypt Highlights Support for African Ebola Response, Pushes Health Sovereignty Agenda

Egypt has provided rapid assistance to Congo and Uganda in their efforts to combat Ebola outbreaks, supplying medicines, preventive medical materials and thousands of doses of the locally manufactured antiviral drug Remdesivir, Health and Population Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a high-level session during the fifth edition of Africa Health ExCon, Abdel Ghaffar said the support was delivered in line with directives from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and reflected Egypt's commitment to strengthening health cooperation across the African continent.

The session, held under the theme "African Health Sovereignty: From Dependency to Strategic Independence," brought together senior government officials, health experts and representatives of regional and international organizations to discuss ways of enhancing Africa's healthcare resilience and self-sufficiency.

Among those attending were former Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, former health ministers, ambassadors, representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), officials from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and delegations from several African countries.

Abdel Ghaffar said strategic health independence means enabling African nations to protect public health, respond swiftly to health emergencies, localize the production of essential medical products and maintain effective international partnerships.

He highlighted Egypt's healthcare reforms as a model for the region, citing the country's Universal Health Insurance System, which has completed its first phase in six governorates and is preparing to extend coverage to an additional 18 million citizens during the second phase.

The minister also pointed to Egypt's "100 Million Healthy Lives" initiative, which helped eliminate Hepatitis C as a major public health threat, describing it as one of the country's most significant healthcare achievements.

Abdel Ghaffar said Egypt is ready to share its expertise in disease prevention, screening and early detection with African partners as part of broader efforts to strengthen the continent's health systems and preparedness for future outbreaks.

The discussions at Africa Health ExCon focused on reducing dependence on external healthcare supplies, expanding local pharmaceutical manufacturing and enhancing regional cooperation to improve Africa's ability to respond to public health challenges.