Accra:Health and Population Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar emphasized that Egypt Forum 2026 is distinguished from previous conferences by serving as a dialogue platform that includes specialists from various fields and citizens, rather than solely government officials. The goal is to conclude with decisions and recommendations that enhance the quality of services provided to citizens.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Abdel Ghaffar highlighted these points during the 'citizen health' session on the second day of the forum, which operates under the theme 'today's outlook… tomorrow's vision.' He discussed the significant challenges Egypt's healthcare sector faced in 2014, including a heavy disease burden and inadequate data for effective planning.

The minister noted that since then, the political leadership has given unprecedented support to the health sector. The challenges at the time included high rates of chronic diseases, cancers, viral hepatitis, elevated premature mortality rates, and insufficient access to treatment, all contributing to societal burdens.

Further, he pointed out the critical issue of deteriorating healthcare infrastructure and a shortage of hospital beds. Abdel Ghaffar stressed the importance of equitable healthcare distribution to ensure every citizen receives necessary care within their governorate, avoiding the need for travel to other areas for treatment.

He also addressed the historical inadequacy of healthcare budget allocations, exacerbated by rapid population growth. A comprehensive healthcare development plan has been adopted and updated over the past 12 years, achieving significant progress, though ongoing efforts are required to meet citizens' needs and objectives.

The minister concluded that healthcare development is an ongoing process, necessitating continuous investment in infrastructure, improved service quality, and fair service distribution, ultimately enhancing citizens' health and quality of life.