Hala El-Said, Egypt's Minister of Planning and Economic Development, addressed the opening session of the National Planning Institute's (NPI) fourth annual conference, "Health and Sustainable Development." The conference, attended by senior government officials, academics, and international partners, focused on the critical role of health in achieving sustainable development goals. In her speech, El-Said emphasised the importance of health as a fundamental development issue and acknowledged the global challenges in achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She noted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic pressures, and geopolitical conflicts on global health systems. The Minister highlighted Egypt's proactive approach to address these challenges, citing the government's commitment to universal health coverage and its focus on the role of health in reducing poverty and socioeconomic disparities. This approach is reflected in Egypt's Vision 2030 strategy and the significant investment in health infrastructure and services outlined in the 2024/2025 economic and social development plan. El-Said also highlighted key national initiatives such as the "Decent Life" presidential initiative and the "100 Million Health" project, which have contributed to improving public health and achieving significant milestones, such as eliminating Hepatitis C. The National Project for the Development of the Egyptian Family (NPDEF) was also noted for its comprehensive approach to population management and reproductive health services. The Minister emphasised Egypt's commitment to strengthening health sector governance and capacity building through collaborations with international institutions. She cited ongoing training programmes and the establishment of the General Authority for Healthcare Accreditation and Regulation (GAHAR) as examples of these efforts. El-Said concluded by highlighting the Egyptian government's view of health as a long-term investment in human capital. She stressed the importance of integrating health, education, and economic policies to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth, ensuring every citizen's right to access health services, quality education, and decent housing. The conference also featured presentations and discussions by Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, DAshraf El Araby, President of NPI, Khaled Zakaria, Director of the Macroeconomic Policy Center at NPI, Sean Jones, Mission Director of USAID in Egypt, and William Eimicke, Professor Emeritus at SIPA, Columbia University.
