Cairo: Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar chaired a meeting on Saturday, May 16, 2026, to discuss a proposal for launching a comprehensive national awareness campaign aimed at raising public awareness of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promoting behavioral and social change concepts to improve public health and reduce rates of lifestyle-related diseases.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Health Ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar stated that the meeting reviewed indicators related to non-communicable diseases and the importance of addressing them, noting that they represent a major health burden on society. The minister emphasized the need to focus on the main behaviors contributing to such diseases, particularly unhealthy nutrition, physical inactivity, smoking, insufficient sleep, and chronic stress.

The minister highlighted the importance of targeting all age groups through the campaign, especially children, youth, and workers, while also including couples preparing for marriage among the priority groups to help build families that are more aware of healthy lifestyles. The meeting also reviewed implementation mechanisms through enhanced coordination and cooperation with various ministries and relevant bodies, in addition to sports clubs, youth centers, and commercial malls, to ensure outreach to the widest possible segment of citizens.

Abdel Ghaffar underlined the importance of utilizing all traditional and digital media platforms, as well as social media, through simplified and engaging scientific content tailored to different age groups in order to effectively influence health behaviors within society. The proposed campaign comes within the framework of the ministry's comprehensive strategy for preventing non-communicable diseases and promoting community health.