The program aims to control population growth, improve services offered to the public, as well as adopt effective development policies to promote sustainable economic growth.

The program, which is funded by USAID, is in accordance with the Ministry of Health and Population’s National Project for Family Development 2021-2023.

OSRA is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health, USAID and Pathfinder, an NGO that has been working in Egypt since 1978 to ensure the public has access to information and services to help them lead healthy reproductive lives.

The stakeholders at the event explained that the partnership aims to increase Egyptians’ access to high-quality family planning information, counseling, contraception, and services, while promoting knowledge about reproductive rights and health norms.

At the launch event, Mohamed Abou Nar, Chief of Party for the OSRA program, stressed that the program team comprises international and Egyptian partners with vast technical expertise and links to family planning and reproductive health and development platforms inside Egypt.

Ambassador Daniel Rubinstein, Charge d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Cairo, discussed the results of previous health programs.

“The US Government, through USAID, has invested over $435 million in reproductive health in Egypt over the last 30 years. These efforts, taken in close coordination with the Ministry of Health and Population, have lowered fertility rates and improved reproductive healthcare outcomes by providing Egyptian women with information on ways to recognise dangers to their health during pregnancy in time to seek medical care," he said.

The OSRA program will target around 10.6 million people in 625 communities in 10 governorates in Egypt, initially rolling out in Sharqiya, Fayoum, Sohag, Assiut, with plans to expand to Beheira, Dakahlia, Giza, Beni Suef, Minya, and Qena in the future.