WHO: Egypt has achieved remarkable achievements in infectious diseases

Dr. Nema Abdel, WHO Representative in Egypt, said during the opening of the Unified Institute for Digestive, Liver, and Infectious Diseases conference, that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Egypt are currently the leading cause of death, accounting for approximately 86% of all deaths and 28% of premature deaths (between the ages of 30 and 70).

He added, during the Uchid Conference for Liver, Digestive, and Infectious Diseases, that this trend will become increasingly important with the demographic transition, or the global aging phenomenon, resulting from the increase in life expectancy in Egypt.

Despite being a low- and middle-income country with a population of over 110 million and hosting over 10 million foreigners, Egypt has achieved remarkable achievements in the field of infectious diseases.

It was the first country to achieve the gold standard for the elimination of hepatitis C, the first country in the region to achieve the regional targets for the control of hepatitis B and the elimination of malaria, and has made significant progress in the elimination of trachoma and schistosomiasis. Furthermore, it has also begun to prioritize non-communicable diseases and mental health in the health agenda, with significant efforts to address common forms of cancer (breast, colon, cervical, prostate, liver, and lung), hypertension, and obesity.