Minister of Health: 3,185 people were scanned in the pilot operation of the President’s campaign to scan and treat non-Egyptians.
UNHCR/Christine Beshay
Dr Hala Zayed, Minister of Health and Population, met with Mr. Karim Atassi, UNHCR Egypt Representative to discuss how to enhance Egypt’s efforts in the provision of healthcare services to non-Egyptian residents including refugees and asylum-seekers, as well as their inclusion in the “100 Million Seha” initiative to detect and eradicate Virus C.
The Minister of Health explained that the Government of Egypt accords great importance to the health and welfare of all residents in Egypt, and provides them with medical care on an equal footing with Egyptians. She also noted that the polio campaign, completed last February, provided free vaccinations to 16.5 million children of Egyptians and non-Egyptians living in Egypt. In addition, non-Egyptians were also part of a national campaign to eliminate intestinal parasites as well as the President’s initiative to detect obesity, anaemia and dwarfism, which were launched and completed for primary school students earlier this year. In addition, President Al-Sisi’s “100 Million Seha” initiative for high school students to detect Hepatitis C.
Dr Zayed also added that non-Egyptians including refugees and asylum-seekers are included in President Al-Sisi’s “100 Million Seha” initiative to detect Hepatitis C. So far, the campaign scanned 3185 non-Egyptians and will provide treatment free of charge for those whose diagnosis have been confirmed.
Mr Atassi praised the President’s Virus C initiative to treat non-Egyptians including refugees and asylum seekers, and thanked him for the generosity and hospitality of the Egyptian Government and people. He also thanked the Ministry of Health for its health initiatives, which provide free treatment opportunities for refugees and asylum-seekers and highlighted that the Ministry of Health of Egypt is a strategic partner to UNHCR.
Dr Zayed explained that a new memorandum of understanding will be signed between the Ministry and UNHCR to enhance cooperation and outline how refugees and asylum-seekers can benefit from the comprehensive new health insurance services, as well as, the President’s initiative for early detection of breast cancer for all women residing in Egypt, that is scheduled for launch on July 1. She added that a database of non-Egyptians including registered refugees and asylum-seekers is being developed to facilitate the provision of healthcare services to them.
On expanding the “100 Million Seha” campaign to neighboring countries, Dr Zayed explained that Egypt is establishing Hepatitis C testing centres in 14 African countries, as part of the initiative to offer free Hepatitis C treatment for one million Africans. So far, an Egyptian delegation has visited the treatment centres in four countries, namely Somalia, Chad, Ethiopia and Sudan.
Mr. Atassi also recalled that the cooperation between the Egyptian authorities and UNHCR has been strong since the establishment of its office in Egypt in 1954, following the signatured of a joint cooperation agreement with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Throughout history, Egypt and its people have been welcoming their guests, including refugees, and they have opened their doors and hearts to them,” Mr Atassi said.
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