Cairo: Deputy Health Minister Abla el-Alfy convened with representatives from the French Development Agency (AFD) and Expertise France to explore avenues for enhancing cooperation aimed at improving primary healthcare services, with a focus on women and children.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Health Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar stated that the meeting delved into the progress of ongoing bilateral projects and explored future funding arrangements and technical support mechanisms. The discussion emphasized coordination between the involved parties to optimize healthcare delivery.

The dialogue also included a focus on capacity building through specialized training programs for medical and nursing staff. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to Egypt's midwifery practices and strategies to expand midwife training to bolster maternal and child health services.

Furthermore, the meeting addressed the importance of community outreach and media awareness initiatives, particularly focusing on combating child marriage and upgrading the infrastructure of primary healthcare units. The delegation stressed the need for collaboration with experts and partners to ensure the comprehensive implementation of project activities.

Both parties underscored the necessity of establishing a unified baseline for measuring performance indicators, which is crucial for effective planning and evaluation. This approach aligns with international best practices to assess outcomes and measure the impact of healthcare initiatives.