Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met on Tuesday with the French Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships and French Nationals Abroad Éléonore Caroit and her accompanying delegation.
The two sides discussed ways to deepen healthcare co-operation between Egypt and France. The meeting was attended by French Ambassador to Egypt Éric Chevallier.
Minister Abdel Ghaffar welcomed the French minister, praising the longstanding ties and strategic partnership between Egypt and France under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The two sides reviewed a new French shipment of medical assistance weighing more than 21 tonnes, comprising essential medicines and medical supplies to support Egyptian hospitals treating wounded and injured Palestinians arriving from the Gaza Strip.
The minister noted that Egypt’s healthcare system is operating at full capacity to provide medical care for Palestinians and Sudanese affected by regional crises, reflecting Egypt’s humanitarian and moral commitment.
Discussions focused on ongoing co-operation with the French Development Agency (AFD), with minister Abdel Ghaffar highlighting the importance of French support for the second phase of Egypt’s Universal Health Insurance System. The expansion programme targets six additional governorates and involves introducing advanced digital healthcare systems, training medical personnel and strengthening partnerships with leading French medical institutions, particularly the Gustave Roussy Institute.
For her part, Caroit expressed France’s appreciation for Egypt’s exceptional role in managing regional health emergencies, reaffirming her country’s commitment to continued co-ordination and support to help ease the humanitarian suffering in Gaza.
She also praised the Egyptian Ministry of Health’s digital management system and central command and control centre, describing them as a model worthy of emulation. Caroit said France looks forward to transferring Egypt’s expertise through trilateral co-operation initiatives aimed at supporting healthcare development across African countries.
