Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inaugurates the second edition of Africa Health ExCon in New Cairo s Egypt International Exhibitions Centre. Presidency/still image
The Africa Health ExCon is Africa's biggest annual healthcare exhibition and conference, connecting global healthcare providers to exchange knowledge and attract investments for sustainable healthcare solutions.
The second edition of the conference, featuring speakers from 90 countries, is being held at the Egypt International Exhibitions Centre in New Cairo from 6-9 June.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by several Egyptian and African high-level officials, including Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, and other senior figures from the Egyptian side.
Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, expressed gratitude to Egypt for its contributions to healthcare in Africa and praised global solidarity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic during her speech at the ceremony.
President El-Sisi stated during his speech that Egypt is committed to playing a positive role in the healthcare sector in Egypt and Africa, as it has done since the first edition of Africa Health ExCon last year.
El-Sisi acknowledged that COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerability of healthcare systems in African countries, but emphasized that cooperation and coordination between nations can enhance their healthcare capabilities.
The president highlighted Egypt's healthcare initiatives and achievements, including the successful campaign to eliminate hepatitis C.
“We have targeted this disease that had a major negative impact on Egyptians,” El-Sisi stressed, noting Egypt's upcoming achievement and celebration of becoming hepatitis C-free in a few weeks, meeting the standards set by the World Health Organization.
El-Sisi mourned the death of former Egyptian Health Minister Ahmed Emad El-Din , who passed away on Monday evening, hailing his "great contribution" to the health sector.
Egypt’s health minister affirmed that health has been a priority for the state since 2014 and identified overpopulation as a major challenge in the country's healthcare system during the ceremony.
“We have a child born every 15 seconds and four children born every minute,” Abdel-Ghaffar said, explaining that some children suffer from malnutrition and genetic diseases.
During the first Africa Health ExCon in June last year, an initiative was introduced to enhance Africa's human and financial capabilities to produce vaccines, medical tools and supplies by 2030.
The first edition of the conference made recommendations to enhance the African healthcare sector, including vaccinating newborns to eliminate hepatitis B and C.
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