Cairo: Chairman of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS) Islam Abul Magd emphasized the critical role of satellite data in providing essential information about environmental factors that directly impact human health, such as air pollution, sandstorms, and disease vectors.

According to State Information Service Egypt, his remarks came during the opening of a specialized workshop on the initiative to develop and launch a number of small satellites (CubeSats) to serve healthcare systems. This event was part of the Africa Health ExCon 2025, one of the largest healthcare conferences in Africa, hosted in Cairo.

Abul Magd highlighted that satellite technologies can effectively support telemedicine systems, particularly in remote and underserved regions that lack the necessary health infrastructure. He noted that by enabling long-distance diagnostics and medical consultations, satellites offer a transformative solution for expanding healthcare access across the continent.

He also reviewed the authority's history, noting it is one of Africa's oldest research institutions dedicated to space sciences and remote sensing, established in 1970. He emphasized the authority's continuous contribution of data and expertise to serve national development, as well as its role in sharing technologies and building capacities across African nations.