The “100 Days of Health” campaign…an Egyptian experience in promoting the right to treatment and achieving sustainable development
The “100 Days of Health” campaign…an Egyptian experience in promoting the right to treatment and achieving sustainable development
Health has never been a purely medical issue. Rather, it is a direct reflection of development policies and the extent of countries’ ability to provide an integrated system that preserves the dignity of the citizen and guarantees his right to health, which is a human right.
In Egypt, this vision is embodied through major national initiatives, most notably the “100 Days of Health” campaign, which launched its third edition in July 2025, and was able, in just 60 days, to provide more than 86 million free medical services to citizens, in one of the largest health campaigns witnessed by the country.
The large numbers and the multiplicity of participating sectors clearly reflect the state’s awareness of the importance of investing in health, as it is a major entry point for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring a fairer and healthier future for future generations.
In this context,The Earth Guards Foundation will address through this article the details of the campaign and its development dimensions, and linking it to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Health is an essential pillar of development
When Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, “Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population,” announced the launch of the third edition of “100 Health Days,” he was stressing that national health initiatives are not a passing event, but rather part of a national strategy to raise the efficiency of the health system.
This trend reflects a clear commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the third goal, which stipulates ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.
Providing 86 million free medical services in just two months reveals an unprecedented level of investment in citizen health. This requires a huge network of hospitals, clinics, and trained medical personnel that were able to cover various governorates in record time. Health here is no longer just a therapeutic issue, but has become part of an integrated development system, aiming to enhance social protection and reduce disparities between groups and regions.
This huge number of services also indicates the size of societal demand for free health care, and that providing it is not only an immediate response, but rather a strategic necessity to protect society from the risks of disease exacerbation, and its negative social and economic impacts. Here the close connection between health and sustainability appears. Any neglect in this sector directly reflects on productivity and social justice.
Diversity of sectors
One of the most prominent strengths of the “100 Days of Health” campaign lies in the integration of roles between 12 different sectors, all of which participated to achieve the same goal. This diversity reflects the philosophy of sustainable development based on partnership and integration, and confirms that success in achieving comprehensive health coverage requires the cooperation of all state institutions.
The basic care sector provided more than 43 thousand services, while the curative care sector provided more than 221 thousand services, which highlights the importance of combining prevention and treatment in the health system. Presidential public health initiatives also contributed more than 62,000 services. This reflects the state’s keenness to continue these initiatives, and not limit them to a limited time frame.
The efforts were not limited to that, but also included the preventive medicine sector, which provided 8,000 services. To confirm that prevention is the first line of defense against diseases, and that investing in this field reduces – in the long term – the cost of treatment and enhances society’s resilience to health challenges. This approach is consistent with the principles of sustainability, which call for adopting preventive policies that reduce future risks and provide resources for future generations.
Medical Institutions
The role of hospitals, educational institutes, and medical bodies was no less important. Units affiliated with the General Authority for Hospitals and Educational Institutes have contributed to providing more than 46,000 services, while the “Your Health is Happiness” initiative for mental health has contributed by providing approximately 10,000 services. The inclusion of mental health within the campaign reflected an important development in the outlook on public health, considering that it includes both the body and mind.
The General Authority for Health Insurance hospitals also contributed nearly 8,000 services, when the Ambulance Authority provided more than 4,000 rescue interventions, which confirms the speed of response and the state’s ability to cover emergencies, in addition to routine therapeutic services. In turn, the hospitals of the Specialized Medical Centers Secretariat and the Treatment Institution contributed approximately 59 thousand services. To confirm that the medical infrastructure in Egypt has become more capable of absorbing and expanding.
These numbers are not just statistics, but rather indicators of building bridges of trust between the citizen and the state. When a citizen finds free and integrated services at his fingertips, his sense of belonging increases, and his ability to participate effectively in society is enhanced. This social dimension represents one of the pillars of sustainability, which is based on strengthening social cohesion and ensuring fair distribution of resources.
Health awareness
The campaign was not limited to providing curative and preventive services, but was also concerned with raising the level of health awareness. More than 47,000 citizens benefited from awareness and education activities, organized by community outreach teams in clubs, commercial centers and public places.
These activities carry strategic importance. It contributes to changing wrong health behaviors, and pushes the citizen to be a partner in maintaining his health.
Building community health awareness is not just an additional activity, but rather a long-term investment that reduces pressure on the health system in the future. A citizen who knows the value of prevention and adopts healthy lifestyles contributes to reducing the rates of chronic diseases. Which reduces the financial and humanitarian burdens on the state. In this sense, health awareness is a pillar for achieving health sustainability. Because it conserves resources and prevents their wastage.
The focus on health education is also consistent with the fourth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which relates to quality education. Health knowledge is an integral part of comprehensive education. This link demonstrates that the “100 Health Days” campaign is not just a medical initiative, but rather an integrated community project linking health, education and sustainability.
Egypt between health and sustainability
By reviewing the details of the “100 Days of Health” campaign, Egypt confirms that it is taking steady steps towards achieving universal health coverage and linking it to sustainable development. The huge numbers of services provided, the integration between health institutions, and the inclusion of mental healthand community awareness within the scope of the campaign; All of them are indicators of a qualitative shift in the outlook on health as an essential element of sustainability.
These efforts converge with “Egypt Vision 2030” and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To confirm that Egypt is not only seeking to treat diseases, but rather is working to build a healthier, more just, and more resilient society. The right to health is the foundation of all rights, and it is what enables people to work, learn, and participate effectively in the development process.
Ultimately, it can be said that the “100 Healthy Days” campaign is not just a national initiative, but rather an experience that inspires the entire region, showing how health can be a gateway to sustainability. Hence,The Earth Guards Foundation confirms that investing in public health is not a temporary option. It is a strategic path to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring a more just and secure future for future generations, as human health remains the real gateway to preserving the environment, protecting resources, and building a more sustainable world.
