Egypt records a distinguished attendance at the “One Health” conference in France to promote good health

There is no doubt that promoting good health is one of the basic pillars on which the global development movement is based. It is not possible to imagine a strong economy or a productive society in light of deteriorating health conditions. Health affects various fields, most notably the efficiency of the labor market, productivity levels, and the ability of countries to achieve sustainable growth.

In light of this, countries are racing to develop their health systems and enhance their ability to respond to crises, relying on multiple tools, the most important of which is expanding the scope of international partnerships and active participation in international conferences. These platforms allow the exchange of experiences and access to the latest practices and technologies, which contributes to accelerating the pace of development and achieving integration of efforts to confront common health challenges at the global level.

High-level attendance at the One Health Conference

In this context, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, participated in the high-level presidential session, in addition to a number of important meetings and conferences within the framework of strengthening international partnerships in the health sector, within the activities of the “One Health” conference, which was held in the French city of Lyon during the period from 6 to 7 April, in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron, and a number of heads of state, ministers, and representatives of international and health organizations. Global.

On the sidelines of the session, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said: “Our presence today in the heart of the city of Lyon reflects Egypt’s sincere commitment to joint work under the umbrella of one health, in our belief that achievinggood health does not stop at treating diseases, but rather extends towards building a proactive system that protects humans and the environment together, ensuring a safe future for future generations.”

The presidential session witnessed a wide attendance from leaders of the G7 and international organizations, based on the importance of the “One Health” conference, which is the most prominent international event that brings together decision-makers to link health, environmental and agricultural policies.

Expanding the horizons of African-European cooperation

Belief in the importance of consolidating Egypt’s position regionally and globally, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar participated in a round table entitled “One Health in a Distracted World: What Africa and Global Partners Can Show for Resilient Systems,” with the participation of representatives of governments, international organizations, financing institutions, and the scientific community.

During his participation, the Minister stressed the importance of this international multilateral gathering, praising the role played by the Africa-Europe Foundation and the French presidency of the G7 in promoting integration between various sectors to support the “One Health” approach that links human, animal and environmental health, especially in light of the state of geopolitical and environmental dispersion the world is witnessing, stressing that cooperation between Africa and Europe represents a strategic opportunity to build a more equitable and effective partnership, which represents an embodiment of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) concerned with promoting International Partnerships.

He also explained that the real challenge lies in moving from political commitments to practical implementation within the health, environmental and food systems, reviewing the Egyptian experience in developing integrated surveillance systems, health digital transformation, and enhancing early preparedness for climate threats.

The Minister called for the discussions to produce tangible practical results during the course, including setting clear implementation priorities and strengthening cooperation between governments, multilateral organizations and financing institutions, while setting clear operational paths to ensure an effective response to crises, stressing Egypt’s commitment to supporting international partnerships and employing African-European cooperation platforms to activate the “One Health” approach as a basic pillar of global prevention and achieving health sustainability in the face of increasing challenges.

Discussing ways of Egyptian-Tunisian cooperation

On the sidelines of the conference, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, met with Dr. Mustafa Al-Fergani, Tunisian Minister of Health, to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various fields of health care and exchange expertise and successful experiences, in a way that works to promote good health and well-being for both Egypt and Tunisia.

The meeting discussed ways to strengthen partnership within the framework of the “One Health” approach to confront common health challenges, especially in the areas of combating epidemics, health security, and dealing with climate change, in addition to exchanging experiences in hospital management and developing primary and emergency health care.

The official spokesman for the Ministry of Health indicated that the two ministers reviewed the existing projects between the two countries and ways to develop them, while emphasizing the importance of continuous coordination to enhance preventive capabilities and rapid response to health emergencies, in a way that serves the interests of the Egyptian and Tunisian peoples and contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.

The two sides stressed the depth of fraternal relations between Egypt and Tunisia, and the importance of building on existing strategic partnerships to develop the two health systems and enhance their ability to face future challenges, which will reflect positively on the quality of services provided to citizens in the two countries.

Localizing the vaccine industry and supporting health security

Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, was also keen to meet with major international companies, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in the field of vaccines and public health and support the development of the Egyptian health system, which will reflect positively on achieving good health and well-being. The meeting focused on supporting national vaccination programs and improving the availability of vaccines, in addition to opportunities to localize the vaccine industry in Egypt to achieve self-sufficiency and enhance health security, while discussing raising the efficiency of supply chains and ensuring the sustainability of provision. Vaccines.

The two sides also reviewed the executive position of the existing cooperation, which includes the supply of vaccines for seasonal influenza, polio, meningitis, and yellow fever, in addition to joint awareness campaigns and training programs for medical personnel in chronic and rare diseases and maternal health. They also discussed the localization of influenza vaccine manufacturing within Egypt and the transfer of technology to transform the country into a regional center for producing and exporting vaccines to the countries of the African continent, as well as enhancing scientific research and innovation using artificial intelligence and supporting preparedness to confront epidemics and emergencies. Health.

In conclusion, Egypt’s distinguished presence at the “One Health” conference in Lyon, France, reflects the country’s keenness to expand partnerships with countries and major international companies, to exchange experiences and learn about the latest global technologies. In a way that contributes to developing the health system and enhancing its ability to face challenges and achieve the highest levels of good health and well-being for citizens.

The Earth Guards Foundation confirms the positive impact of such global conferences and holding meetings with officials in neighboring countries and major international companies in the health sector in achieving comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially (Goal 3) achieving good health and well-being, and (Goal 17) establishing partnerships to achieve the goals, ensuring a better future for current generations. And the next.