The World Health Organization (WHO) in Egypt has signed a new agreement with the Government of Japan worth more than $3 million to strengthen emergency healthcare services for Palestinian patients evacuated from Gaza for treatment in Egyptian hospitals.
The latest contribution builds on a previous $8.3 million agreement signed in March 2024, bringing Japan’s total support to WHO Egypt’s response to the Gaza crisis to more than $11.38 million over the past three years.
The agreement was formalized during a high-level ceremony attended by Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Japan’s Ambassador to Egypt Fumio Iwai, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Migration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs and International Cooperation Samar El Ahdal, UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt Elena Panova, and WHO Representative in Egypt Naima Al Gasseer.
The project, set to run through 2028, aims to enhance access to life-saving medical services for patients arriving from Gaza by reinforcing the capacity of Egyptian hospitals receiving evacuees. The initiative will focus on ensuring the availability of essential medical supplies and advanced equipment, while continuing to build the skills of healthcare workers in emergency and trauma care.
The program will also benefit approximately 100,000 Palestinians residing in Egypt, alongside refugees and asylum seekers — including those from Sudan and Libya — as well as host communities.
In her remarks, Dr. Naima Al Gasseer described the agreement as coming at a critical time, particularly following the recent reopening of the Rafah crossing and expectations of increased daily medical evacuations from Gaza. She highlighted that over the past two years, Japan’s support has enabled WHO to provide vital assistance to hospitals treating evacuated patients, while commending Egypt’s exceptional solidarity in hosting those in need of urgent care.
Under the 2024 Japan-funded project, WHO Egypt procured nearly $7 million worth of medical equipment and supplies, including intensive care unit beds, operating tables, mobile X-ray machines, sterilization units, and mechanical heart valves.
The initiative has also trained nearly 2,000 healthcare workers across Egypt in mass casualty management, basic and advanced emergency care, trauma treatment, management of severe acute malnutrition in children, infection prevention and control, preparedness for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, risk communication and community engagement, as well as mental health and psychosocial support.
Ambassador Fumio Iwai reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting critical medical treatment for patients evacuated from Gaza, describing the additional funding as a reflection of Japan’s strengthened partnership with WHO and the Egyptian government. He praised Egypt’s leading humanitarian role in receiving large numbers of patients and stressed Japan’s determination to work with international partners to ensure that no patient is denied access to life-saving care.
Since the outbreak of the war in October 2023, Egypt has received more than 6,600 patients from Gaza, accompanied by approximately 9,300 companions, making it the largest host country for medically evacuated Palestinians. WHO estimates that more than 18,500 patients in Gaza still require urgent medical evacuation.
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