The events of the fourth edition of the Al-Ahram Pharmaceutical Conference were attended by Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population; Dr. Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, Presidential Advisor for Health Affairs; Dr. Mohamed Fayez Farahat, Chairman of Al-Ahram Foundation; journalist Maged Mounier, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram; Dr. Mohamed Maait, former Minister of Finance and Head of the Universal Health Insurance Authority; Dr. Bahaa Zidan, Head of the Unified Procurement Authority; and Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, Head of the Healthcare Authority.

Sherine Abdel-Gawad, Head of the Central Administration for Pharmaceutical Affairs at the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), stated that developing pharmaceutical services using technological and digital methods is of utmost importance, from the moment the medicine leaves the factory until it reaches the patient, and tracking any side effects that may appear using modern technology.

Abdel-Gawad added that the authority has used modern technology to reduce antimicrobial resistance and the unjustified overuse of antibiotics, noting that the EDA uses modern technological methods in the recent initiatives that have been launched, which have had a great impact in reducing drug-related effects.

Dr. Mohamed Galal, Vice President of Bayer Germany and CEO for the Middle East and Pakistan, stated that digital health and early diagnosis can contribute to enhancing access to healthcare, improving patient outcomes, and reducing costs, making it an essential part of the global health future.

This can be achieved through a wide range of applications and technologies aimed at enhancing healthcare, improving access to services, and increasing the overall efficiency of the healthcare system.

This includes establishing digital medical data storage systems that facilitate the tracking of patients' medical history, improving communication between healthcare providers, and using smartphone applications to help individuals manage their health, such as tracking physical activity, managing diet, and monitoring chronic diseases, added Dr. Galal.

He explained that artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are being used to improve disease diagnosis, provide treatment recommendations, and enhance the efficiency of health operations. Additionally, social media and websites can be utilized to disseminate health information and raise awareness about diseases and prevention.

Dr. Galal added that digital health plays a vital role in Bayer's consumer health strategy in the Middle East by improving access to healthcare services and promoting consumers' health and well-being. These efforts are reflected in digital awareness campaigns such as "Your Heart is a Trust," which targets cardiovascular diseases in Egypt. In the field of health applications, Bayer, in collaboration with Huma Therapeutics, launched an innovative tool for detecting heart diseases, marking its first global release since the launch of Bayer Aspirin for heart disease risk assessment in the United States.

He further noted that Bayer has strengthened its presence in e-commerce on local digital platforms to facilitate consumer access to its products, while also improving user experience through digital analytics. Additionally, virtual support services, including automated chat, have been made available to provide health advice and answer queries in the local language. These initiatives support the key goals of Egypt's national strategy and contribute to enhancing public health awareness and facilitating access to health information and products.

Dr. Galal also noted that Bayer has a similar mission, as expressed by the company's motto "Health for All, Hunger for None."

Leveraging its extensive experience in heart health, Bayer is working to create comprehensive initiatives for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, helping to provide solutions for maintaining stable lives for everyone.

What is being achieved today is just an initial step in realizing the company’s long-term global plans, said Dr. Galal.

Bayer’s partnership with the “Huma” program, which is regulated as a medical device for remote patient monitoring and on associated app platforms, represents the only digital tool for diagnosing heart diseases that has received both European Union quality certification and approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

It is also registered with the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The platform, which functions as a medical device, is operated using AI algorithms.

Dr. Galal clarified that the adoption and application of digital health technologies within the company face several obstacles and challenges, including the variation in privacy laws and data protection regulations from one country to another in the Middle East, complicating compliance and increasing legal challenges.

Furthermore, obtaining regulatory approvals for digital health devices and applications takes a long time, delaying adoption. There is also a lack of advanced technological infrastructure necessary to support digital health applications and devices.

Dr. Galal predicted that the future of digital health in the coming years will witness significant developments and transformative shifts in how healthcare is delivered and individual health is enhanced.

AI and machine learning are expected to play an important role in this field.

Dr. Michael Wanees, Country Group Head for Bayer in North Africa, highlighted the partnership between Bayer and the Family Planning Sector of the Ministry of Health and Population through the signing of a protocol to supply two distinguished education and training centers under the health ministry’s Continuous Education and Training Centers with two simulation devices to enhance the capabilities and skills of gynecologists in using innovative, modern contraceptive methods that meet international standards.

Dr. Wanees pointed out that Bayer Limited Egypt is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Egypt and worldwide, under the slogan "Science for a Better Life," due to its key contributions to drug discovery, development, and manufacturing in various important healthcare sectors.

Bayer aims to make a real change in patients' lives, recognizing its vital role in providing the best service to Egyptian patients by working to improve therapeutic services in partnership with healthcare institutions, he said.

This aligns with the company's global vision to lay the foundation for improving health and nutrition, and upholding the motto "Health for All, Hunger for None."

Bayer has also supported rights-based education and family planning programs for over 50 years in more than 130 countries, he added.

Dr. Wanees emphasized that this cooperation is part of a comprehensive vision based on three main pillars. The first pillar is providing the best long-term contraceptive methods for Egyptian women, such as "Mirena," one of the most advanced and effective contraceptive options globally. Necessary quantities are being provided to meet the needs of the Family Planning Sector of the Ministry of Health at globally competitive prices.

Additionally, the hormonal IUD offers a safe and 100 percent effective contraceptive solution without side effects, especially for women suffering from heavy menstrual bleeding and anemia.

Since 2022, 270,000 Mirena hormonal IUDs have been made available to support Egyptian women.

The second pillar involves raising awareness among women to empower them to make informed decisions based on accurate scientific information and providing the necessary support to choose the appropriate contraceptive method. This pillar relies on innovative digital communication channels, such as social media platforms, and includes the launch of the first educational website approved by the Egyptian Drug Authority, www.your-life-eg.com, to support this initiative.

The third pillar focuses on a sustainable capacity-building project by training gynecologists on modern contraceptive techniques, specifically the insertion of "Mirena" devices.

The "Ment Program" was launched and has successfully trained over 1,500 gynecologists across 350 centers affiliated with the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Kasr Al-Ainy Faculty of Medicine at Cairo University, using simulation devices. Additionally, more than 700 doctors received practical training on the insertion of the Mirena hormonal IUD under the supervision of the Ministry of Health.

In conclusion, Dr. Wanees announced new partnerships between Bayer and the Ministry of Health as part of the "100 Million Health" initiative and the early detection of cancer initiative, with plans to serve prostate cancer patients soon.

Dr. Ahmed Siam, speaking about strategies that can be implemented to achieve the goals of the comprehensive healthcare system, stated that the Universal Health Insurance Authority bears a significant responsibility in selecting the healthcare services that must be covered under the universal health insurance umbrella, aiming to maximize the benefit for citizens.

He added: "We are focused on making coverage decisions, establishing a system that supports decision-making, pricing healthcare services and medications, and improving access to the system while ensuring that funding is maintained in a way that guarantees benefits for future generations."

Dr. Siam also pointed out that work is ongoing to launch several projects related to pricing regulations in a flexible manner to ensure competitiveness among service providers, which will contribute to better care provision.

Dr. Ahmed Ezz, Chairman of Cleopatra Hospitals Group, highlighted the major challenges facing investment in the medical sector, including licensing, procedures, and high interest rates, which reduce returns on investment in this sector.

He added that the state's credit facilitation initiatives did not include hospitals and medical devices, and medical services in Egypt are among the cheapest globally.

He continued by mentioning other obstacles, such as acquiring land, since returns on investment in the medical sector appear in the long term, making the establishment of large hospitals uncommon. He also pointed to the shortage of doctors and nursing staff, which they discussed with the Supreme Council of Universities, stressing the need to establish private medical colleges, along with facilities to establish hospitals affiliated with these colleges.

Dr. Ezz also noted that Cleopatra Hospitals Group includes about 90 clinical pharmacists and greatly values their role. The group works with around 2,000 products, focusing on quality.

He explained that the group continually develops this field and has detailed information on about 1.5 million patients.

Dr. Osama ElGarawany, CEO of Dar Al Fouad Hospital in Nasr City, said that artificial intelligence (AI) is an established tool that has been applied in several fields but has been delayed in the medical sector for several reasons, including concerns about interfering in human life and determining outcomes through technological means, as well as physician-related policies and regulations.

He explained that AI is currently used in diagnosing cases, where patient information and test results are entered, and the system analyzes them to determine a diagnosis. AI applications are also used in reading medical scans.

Dr. ElGarawany pointed out the existence of an application that analyzes a patient’s health status through voice analysis.

AI is also used to review medications prescribed to patients and assess their appropriateness for each case.

He emphasized that AI is not just a simple application but requires the provision of necessary information to perform the required tasks effectively.