Egyptian Health Minister Khalid Abdel Ghaffar recently held a meeting with a delegation from the German WifOR Institute for Health Economics to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in the health sector. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Global Health Summit in Berlin. The talks focused on exploring opportunities to benefit from economic and social studies in supporting the development of health policies and achieving the goals of the national health strategy.
According to Dr. Hussam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesperson for the Ministry, the session reviewed the progress made in the "Social Value of Health" initiative in Egypt. The discussions also covered the results of two studies on the social and economic impact of breast cancer treatments and diabetic retinopathy. These studies highlighted the importance of improving health outcomes for patients and their positive impact on society.
The two parties discussed ways to expand the scope of studies to include national health priorities. They also examined the impact of improving citizens' health on productivity, participation in the labor market, and human capital development. The role of the health sector in supporting economic and social development was also a topic of discussion.
The meeting also touched on mechanisms for cooperation in the coming phase. These include identifying shared health priorities, developing research methodologies, determining required data, and enhancing coordination between relevant parties. The goal is to support the use of scientific evidence in shaping policies and making health decisions.
The session explored opportunities to develop a research framework for evaluating the impact of implementing national health priorities. This would help highlight the role of investment in health and its impact on improving citizens' quality of life, enhancing productivity, and supporting sustainable development efforts.
These discussions build on the existing cooperation between the Ministry and the WifOR Institute and Roche Company. The aim is to enhance the use of studies and research in evaluating the broader impact of health interventions. This includes linking improved health services to economic and social development indicators.
The meeting reflects Egypt's ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships with international organizations and leverage expertise in health economics and research. This collaboration is expected to contribute to the development of effective health policies and strategies that benefit the Egyptian people.
Key points
- Egypt's Health Minister met with WifOR Institute and Roche Company to enhance cooperation in the health sector.
- The discussions focused on exploring opportunities to benefit from economic and social studies in supporting health policy development.
- The cooperation aims to evaluate the broader impact of health interventions and link improved health services to economic and social development indicators.
