The first preparatory session for the fourth edition of the Al-Ahram Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Conference, held recently under the slogan “Facing Challenges and Enhancing Innovation”, discussed several important proposals to be included in the agenda of the conference scheduled to take place on 28 November.

The proposals aim to provide actionable insights and strategies to achieve a positive and sustainable impact on the Egyptian market, focusing on promoting growth, innovation, and localisation in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

Among these proposals are addressing regulatory and legislative challenges, innovation and development, artificial intelligence in drug manufacturing, digital health, localising drug manufacturing, enhancing local production, and strategies for growth and expansion in the Egyptian market.

The discussions transparently addressed the issue of drug shortages, the mechanism for dealing with them in all directions to ensure sustainable solutions for drug availability and market stability, and Egypt’s transition to a strong regulator for African drug markets.

The session was attended by Dr. Mohamed Fayez Farahat, Chairman of the Board of Al-Ahram, Magid Mounir, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram newspaper, Dr. Awad Taj El-Din, Advisor to the President of the Republic for Health and Prevention and Honorary President of the Conference, Dr. Adel Adawy, Former Minister of Health, President of the Egyptian Medical Association, and President of the Conference, Dr. Ali Ghamrawi, Head of the Drug Authority, Dr. Hisham Badr, Deputy Head of the Unified Procurement Authority on behalf of General Doctor Bahaa El-Din Zidan, Head of the Unified Procurement Authority, Dr. Ahmed Amer, Chairman of the Board of Al-Ahram Pharmaceuticals, along with a high-level group of chairmen of the boards of directors of global and local pharmaceutical companies, deans of pharmacy faculties in Egyptian universities, and concerned authorities.

Dr. Mohamed Fayez Farahat, Chairman of the Board of Al-Ahram, opened his speech by welcoming the attendees and the panel, praising their continued participation since the first edition of the conference in achieving a great success story. wHe noted that the pharmaceutical sector is undergoing massive transformations due to the priorities of the Egyptian state, where there is a major project in Egypt to change the structure of the Egyptian economy, and part of the philosophy of this project is to localise and expand the manufacturing process. He pointed out that pharmaceuticals are one of the most important projects.

Despite the challenges facing this sector, there are enormous opportunities available, which is one of the main functions of the conference, represented in discussing the challenges and providing recommendations that contribute to a significant leap in this sector. He added that the philosophy of this platform and conference is to bring together all the relevant partners and active parties in the profession to achieve that, noting that the successes achieved during the past three sessions reinforce the confidence that the fourth session of the conference will achieve more successes.

Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahram, Mr. Magid Mounir, said that he was fortunate to witness the successes achieved by the Al-Ahram Pharmaceutical Conference in its past three sessions. The most important distinguishing feature is the good preparation for the conference through important and rich preparatory sessions with deep discussions to come up with a strong agenda.

He noted that the conference’s results are very important for those interested in the sector, whether from the state’s side or from companies and workers in the pharmaceutical sector. This is reflected by the esteemed attendees and the high-level panel, confirming that there will be an important dialogue that will reach the final shape of the conference’s agenda and its sessions’ topics of great importance, with a focus on localising pharmaceutical manufacturing and enhancing innovation in this crucial field.

He pointed out that discussing healthcare, which directly affects the citizen, has seen the state make significant progress through the comprehensive health insurance system. He explained that Al-Ahram newspaper is keen to be an available platform for all developmental sectors in the state.

Dr. Awad Taj El-Din, Advisor to the President for Health and Prevention and Honorary President of the conference, emphasised that the issue of pharmaceuticals in Egypt is complex but fundamental. He noted that despite the excellent presidential initiatives and efforts to reach the depths of villages through the Decent Life initiative and medical convoys, about 70 per cent of people still purchase their medications out of pocket.

He highlighted that the title of the fourth edition of the Al-Ahram Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Conference is “Facing Challenges”, stressing the reality of the challenges the sector faces during this period, and President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi’s insistence on building pharmaceutical capacities from local or multinational companies to provide safe medicines, ensure access to them, and make them affordable.

Dr. Adel Adawy, Conference President and Former Minister of Health and President of the Egyptian Medical Association, stated that the participation of agencies, chairmen of the boards of multinational and local pharmaceutical companies, decision-makers, and deans of colleges underscores their commitment and sustained interest in supporting this sector, which is of great importance to Egypt’s health security. He pointed out that when the Egyptian state decided to restructure the Egyptian health system after President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi took office in 2014 and adopted a new health system represented by universal health insurance, the system was closely linked to essential sectors, the most important of which is the pharmaceutical and medical supplies sector.

He explained that the establishment of the Egyptian Drug Authority and the Unified Procurement Authority was considered. He had the honour of initiating the idea of creating the Drug Authority, and of course, Minister Dr. Awad Taj El-Din was present with them. Many were also present during the idea’s inception. This is alongside the universal health insurance and the Egyptian Health Council to focus on human resources, which is part of a larger entity restructuring the Egyptian health system.

Dr. Adawy praised the prestigious Al-Ahram Foundation for adopting this platform that began four years ago. He considered this conference the only one to discuss the challenges and problems facing the pharmaceutical sector in Egypt, not just in manufacturing but also in decision-making, registration, pricing, and availability. He noted that the history of pharmaceuticals in Egypt is long, and discussing its stages and existing challenges is essential because it is the only priced commodity, which places a significant burden on manufacturers and multinational companies.

Dr. Ali Ghamrawi, head of the Drug Authority, confirmed during the preparatory session that the conference is of great importance in formulating drug policy in Egypt, as they seek to identify challenges and come up with actionable recommendations. He explained that the pharmaceutical industry is in good condition, and all local and international companies in Egypt understand the current difficult reality and cooperate. Efforts have been made to reprice medicines despite the challenges.

He pointed out that there is a shortage of medicines due to the previous lack of foreign currency, which affected the import of raw materials that make up 40 per cent of the industry. He indicated that pharmaceutical investors are looking for a clear vision of the future, which is currently lacking, but work is underway to consider all variables for different scenarios.

He emphasised that while drug shortages are indeed a problem, the public should be reassured that Egypt is not isolated from the world; there are drug shortages even in the richest Gulf countries. He noted that the largest shortage in the pharmaceutical sector in Egypt over six months did not exceed seven per cent of the units produced. He confirmed that factories are operational and that the shortage might be in distribution chains rather than production.

He stressed the implementation of strong national measures against warehouses and distributors manipulating drug distribution, indicating a strict stance on this issue with the law being enforced through the closure of several warehouses and the imposition of escalating fines.

He mentioned the preparation for a challenging test with the World Health Organisation to obtain the maturity level 3 to make Egypt one of the strong regulatory authorities in Africa, requiring companies’ compliance with product quality standards. He affirmed readiness to reach the fourth and strongest global stage, even if it necessitated closing non-compliant factories.

Dr. Hisham Badr, Deputy Head of the Unified Procurement Authority, confirmed during the first preparatory session of Al-Ahram’s Fourth Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Conference that Egypt has a long history in the pharmaceutical industry and is one of the largest markets in the region, with annual sales exceeding LE170 billion. Egypt has 180 pharmaceutical factories and more than 800 production lines, with local manufacturing covering about 90 per cent of the country’s needs in terms of units and 75 per cent in terms of the value of medicines.

He noted that the Egyptian pharmaceutical market witnessed sales of LE72.1 billion in the first five months of 2024, with a growth rate of 41.5 per cent. Despite the growth, the market faces challenges due to global resource shortages. The state has taken steps to support the localisation of the pharmaceutical industry, forming a committee to localise the pharmaceutical industry to make the sector attractive for investment. The Unified Procurement Authority focuses on enhancing its role in Africa and increasing exports to $2 billion by 2027.

Dr. Mohamed Galal, Deputy President of Bayer and CEO for the Middle East and Pakistan, emphasised the importance of discussing the export of Bayer’s locally manufactured drugs in Egypt to neighbouring countries to increase local production to 80 per cent. He noted that Egypt will become the third global site for manufacturing some of the company’s products. He also stressed the need to include digital health in the conference agenda, as foreign companies aim to develop this field in Egypt to reduce the financial burden on the government. He explained that pharmaceutical companies face challenges in increasing drug prices, highlighting the importance of supporting health awareness and establishing research centres in Egypt.

Dr. Hatem El-Wardani, President of AstraZeneca, stated that the previous sessions of the Al-Ahram conference resulted in several recommendations, many of which have been implemented, and this is one of the good aspects. He praised the significant effort made in recent periods through public and private cooperation to provide medicines, which has resulted in large quantities of medicines being made available.

He pointed out that his future vision is to enhance innovation, which plays a significant role in deepening and localising the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt. He noted that global companies spend substantial amounts on clinical research, estimated in billions of dollars, which enhances patients’ access to the latest medicines. He called for the need to allocate a session on clinical research and the current challenges.

Dr. Mohamed Swilam, General Manager of Roche Pharma Egypt, expressed his deep appreciation for Al-Ahram conference and its realistic yet significant agenda that is discussed openly within the industry to achieve sustainable results. Over the past four years, the conference has developed involving real dialogue and producing important recommendations.

Dr. Ahmed Abdullah, Head of Business Development and Marketing at Gypto Pharma, attended on behalf of Dr. Amr Mamdouh, Chairman of the Board. He proposed that the conference include an extended session on localisation and innovation, as they are fundamental to the establishment of the Egyptian Pharmaceutical City under the patronage of President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi. One of the main goals is to ensure pharmaceutical security for Egyptian patients.

He pointed out that the city has established global partnerships in this field and has made steady steps towards localising pharmaceuticals in Egypt, which will be announced at a special occasion.

Dr. Azza Agha, Former Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Cairo University, emphasised that Al-Ahram Foundation plays a vital role in discussing state priorities, noting the success of previous editions of the pharmaceutical conference. She stressed the necessity of including export to Africa in the conference sessions to enhance innovation and conduct necessary clinical studies for developing new drugs. She proposed forming an executive committee to hold workshops after the conference to present actionable solutions.

Dr. Ghada Abdel Bari called for a discussion on the misuse of medications and for Al-Ahram to adopt the change in reader and patient culture.

Dr. Amani Kamel emphasised the importance of the Al-Ahram conference as a platform for exchanging ideas in the pharmaceutical industry. She requested that the fourth edition focus on challenges and visions to maximise Egyptian pharmaceutical exports, asserting that the pharmaceutical sector can significantly contribute to increasing national revenues and bringing in foreign currency to boost the economy.

Dr. Hisham El-Ghazaly proposed cooperation with the Drug Authority in the pharmaceutical field and organising visits for pharmaceutical companies to the research centre at Ain Shams University to strengthen alliances between academia and pharmaceutical companies under Al-Ahram’s media sponsorship.

Dr. Ahmed Siam emphasised the need for government agencies to align to develop a roadmap for the Egyptian health system.

Chairpersons of Global and Local Pharmaceutical Companies who attended the first Preparatory Session for the Fourth Al-Ahram Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Conference were; Dr. Ayman El-Khatib, Deputy Chairman of the Drug Authority, Dr. Rasha Zyada, Assistant Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority for Development and Capacity Building, Dr. Mohamed Sweilem, President of Viatris, Dr. Amr El-Samary, Deputy Director of Bayer Middle East, Dr. Eman Abdel-Galil, Director of Government Relations for the Middle East, Bayer, Dr. Rana El-Fakharany, Head of the Oncology Sector for the Middle East and Africa, Bayer, Dr. Ahmed El-Ashmawy, President of Land Pick, Dr. Sherif Mamdouh, Director of Scientific Office in Egypt and Business Area Manager for Egypt, Libya, and Sudan, Menarini Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Omar Sameh, Director of Government Relations, GSK (GlaxoSmithKline), Dr. Mona Mounir, Director of Government Relations, Viatris, Dr. Mohamed Moghazi, Executive Director of Pharco, Dr. Ahmed Qeshta, Director of Government Relations, AstraZeneca, Dr. Ahmed Rashad, Director of Tenders for Egypt and Libya on behalf of Dr. Amal Makhloufi, General Manager of AbbVie North Africa, Dr. Nagy Helmy, Director of Pharmaceutical Policies and Government Relations, Abbott, Dr. Karim Abdel-Salam, on behalf of Dr. Massoud Abdel-Maguid, President of Hikma,

Dr. Hussein Shoukry, Marketing Director for bioMérieux Laboratory Diagnostics on behalf of Dr. Rami Azab, President of the company in Egypt and Libya, Dr. Fadi Murad, Chairman of the Board, Globe Tech Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud Abdel-Kader, Chairman of the Board, Copad Egypt, Dr. Ahmed Zoghoul, Chairman of the Board, Art Pharma, Dr. Mahmoud Abdel-Gawad, Executive Director of Ibn Sina Pharma Distribution, Dr. Hisham Abdel-Aziz, Chairman of the Board, October Pharma, Dr. Hazem Shaheen, Director of Supply Chains, Servier Egypt, Dr. Mohamed El-Marasy, Director of Government Relations, Servier Egypt, Dr. Mohamed Qassem, Marketing Director, Abbott, Walid El-Hady, Managing Partner of VCL Egypt and Chairman of FIF ACE for Pharmaceutical Consultations, Dr. Samer El-Refai, President of the Association for the Development of Arab Pharmacists and Secretary-General of the African Association for Health and Medicine.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 25 July, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly