Health Min.: Manufacturing ultrasound devices in Egypt is a step towards enhancing self-sufficiency
CAIRO - 28 January 2025: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, met Tuesday with Dr. Elie Chaliot, President and CEO of GE Health Care, and his accompanying delegation, to enhance the frameworks of joint cooperation in supporting and developing the health sector.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Arab Health Expo, which is being held from January 27 to 29 in the United Arab Emirates, which is an ideal platform for presenting the latest medical technologies, discussing future developments, and building strategic partnerships that enhance the quality of healthcare globally.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister welcomed the company's delegation, stressing the importance of interconnected relations between the public and private sectors, due to its significant impact on improving the quality of healthcare and enhancing the medical services provided, which ensures that services reach the largest number of people, in order to achieve the health well-being of citizens.
Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, explained that the Deputy Prime Minister expressed his appreciation and support for the company's intention to manufacture ultrasound "sonar" scanning devices in Egypt, as part of the Egyptian state's efforts to localize the medical devices industry, to meet the needs of The Egyptian market, and then expand and export to countries around the world.
Abdel Ghaffar noted that this cooperation is an essential step in achieving the ministry's vision to provide comprehensive healthcare to citizens.
He noted that the meeting discussed the localization of the manufacture of radioactive dyes of various types in Egypt, as an important strategic step towards achieving self-sufficiency, enhancing local manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical and medical industries sector, and reducing healthcare costs, as radioactive dyes are among the basic materials used in medical imaging and radiological tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-rays.
"Abdel Ghaffar" said that the meeting included discussing the company's innovations and how to benefit from them in supporting national health initiatives, such as early detection of cancerous tumors, heart disease care, and improving radiology services, in addition to reviewing ways to enhance the infrastructure for diagnosis and medical imaging, to improve the quality of healthcare and provide accurate and rapid diagnoses.
Abdel Ghaffar added that the meeting discussed safety procedures when using imaging dyes, including protocols for dealing with allergies and side effects, in addition to proposing national initiatives for screening using enhanced imaging with imaging dyes to detect cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and nervous system disorders, in addition to the company supplying one million vials of imaging dye to the ministry, at a total cost of $10 million.
Abdel Ghaffar added that the meeting discussed ways of bilateral cooperation in research and development in the field of radiology, as an essential step to enhance the effectiveness of medical services and achieve tangible progress in diagnosing and treating diseases.
He further said that the meeting discussed how to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into the analysis of the results of enhanced imaging with imaging dyes.
The official spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Population explained that the meeting reviewed the developments of the sonar device manufacturing project in Egypt, in addition to discussing mechanisms for providing the latest diagnostic and medical imaging technologies, including magnetic resonance imaging, CT scans, X-rays, and ultrasound, to ensure the improvement of diagnostic capabilities in the health sector and enhance the quality of health services provided to citizens.
Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that the two sides discussed during the meeting providing training programs for healthcare workers, to ensure the optimal use of medical devices provided by General Electric, which contributes to raising the efficiency and refining the skills of medical human cadres, and qualifying them to deal with the latest technologies. The meeting also included discussing enhancing cooperation opportunities in the fields of digital transformation in the health sector, and enhancing "remote" medical and diagnostic services within the framework of the ongoing efforts for digital transformation and the development of health services.
Abdel Ghaffar added that the meeting included discussing the launch of mobile health units equipped with advanced technologies produced by General Electric, with the aim of providing comprehensive medical examination services to detect cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, within the framework of enhancing community health services. The meeting also discussed ways to enhance healthcare systems and support health infrastructure in the medical sector.
The meeting was attended by Stamatios Karambelis, General Manager, Indirect Markets, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Fares Shahin, General Manager, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, and Hisham Mortada, Sales and Operations Manager, North East Africa.
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