Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said the plan prioritizes emergency response, critical care, and preventive health services, according to a ministry statement.
Coptic Orthodox Christians, who make up the vast majority of Egypt’s Christian population, celebrate Christmas on 7 January, per the Julian calendar, while smaller denominations, including Catholics and Evangelicals, mark the holiday on 25 December, per the Gregorian calendar. Coptic Christmas has been a public holiday in Egypt since 2003.
The ministry said a central operations room has been activated, with monitoring units set up in health directorates across all governorates to track incidents and coordinate responses.
Health Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar said public and central hospitals have raised readiness levels and secured additional stocks of medicines and medical supplies.
Mobile medical convoys and clinics have been deployed near churches, parks, and public spaces, with additional coverage directed to remote areas and Upper Egypt, he said.
The Egyptian Ambulance Organization has placed 2,212 ambulances on standby at key locations nationwide, along with 11 river and marine ambulance units, according to the statement.
A 24-hour central crisis management room has also been activated, coordinating with the cabinet’s crisis unit, police, civil defence, and local health authorities.
Preventive measures remain in place, including health controls at border crossings, food safety inspections, disease vector control, and monitoring of large public gatherings.
The ministry said it has secured strategic reserves of vaccines and serums, is monitoring global disease development,s and is coordinating with poison control centres to detect and respond to food poisoning cases. Emergency medical services and toxicology consultations remain available via the national hotline 137.
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