Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar stressed on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the importance of exchanging expertise and successful experiences with Albania as a key pillar for enhancing the quality of healthcare services and achieving shared health security.
He expressed Egypt’s keenness to deepen cooperation with Albania in areas including medical staff training, digital transformation of healthcare services, health policy, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
This came during Abdel Ghaffar’s meeting with Albanian President Bajram Begaj to discuss ways to bolster bilateral cooperation in the health sector, in the presence of Albanian Ambassador to Egypt Sami Shiba.
Abdel Ghaffar welcomed the Albanian president, noting the ministry’s commitment to expediting the finalization of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries’ health ministries.
He said the agreement would pave the way for joint executive programs that benefit both peoples and further strengthen Egyptian-Albanian relations in the health sector.
He reviewed the ministry’s efforts in addressing the repercussions of the Palestinian crisis, receiving and treating the injured from Gaza, and providing urgent medical services in Egyptian hospitals.
Abdel Ghaffar affirmed that Egypt responded to the crisis with full preparedness by declaring a state of emergency across all health facilities.
He said medical teams, medicines, and supplies were deployed, and the medical evacuation system was reinforced to transfer critical cases to hospitals in North Sinai, Cairo, and the Delta governorates.
For his part, President Begaj expressed appreciation for Egypt’s advanced expertise in healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
He noted that cooperation with Egypt holds strategic importance for Albania, given Egypt’s distinguished capabilities and modern health infrastructure.
He voiced Albania’s aspiration to establish a sustainable health partnership founded on collaboration and knowledge exchange, particularly in training programs and the development of health insurance systems.
He also praised Egypt’s notable progress in the health sector in recent years.
Health Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said the meeting discussed cooperation in combating communicable and non-communicable diseases and ways to benefit from Egypt’s experience in implementing the Universal Health Insurance System (UHIS).
It also covered the digital transformation of medical services, training programs for Albanian medical staff, and cooperation in vaccine and biological product manufacturing, as well as the localization of pharmaceutical industries.
He added that both sides stressed the importance of forming a joint working group to follow up on the implementation of agreements.
The group will also work to activate cooperation programs in the fields of health emergencies, public health, primary care, and scientific research, he said.
Abdel Ghaffar stressed that the meeting aligns with the directives of the political leadership to strengthen international health partnerships.
He said these efforts aim to enhance the quality of healthcare services and promote sustainable development in both countries.
Source: State Information Service
