The National Council for Women, led by Madam Amal Ammar, participated in the international symposium "Women in Healthcare: From Presence to Impact" as part of the 9th International Conference for Egyptian Pharmacists and the Middle East. Dr. Salma Doura, a member of the council and head of the Health and Population Committee, represented the council. She stressed that the Egyptian government prioritizes women's health and empowerment across various sectors, believing that investing in women's health, education, and protection directly contributes to building a stronger Egyptian society and achieving sustainable development.
Dr. Salma Doura highlighted that the National Strategy for Empowering Egyptian Women 2030 provides a comprehensive framework for enhancing women's status through its main axes, including political, economic, social, and protection. She emphasized that health is not just a welfare issue but a comprehensive system of care and prevention that begins from the first moments of human life and extends to various stages of life. The development of the healthcare system in Egypt reflects the government's interest in improving the quality of medical services and ensuring their accessibility to all segments of society.
The healthcare system's development in Egypt has been significantly influenced by presidential initiatives in the health sector, which have contributed to enhancing public health interest, expanding early detection and disease prevention programs, and improving medical services and healthcare institution efficiency. Dr. Doura also reviewed the evolution of Egypt's healthcare system and its achievements through these initiatives. She pointed out the importance of promoting women's health through expanded healthcare services for women and girls, increased awareness of regular check-ups and early detection of diseases prevalent among women, and attention to reproductive health, maternal and child health.
Dr. Salma Doura emphasized the necessity of addressing women's health needs at different stages of their lives, providing appropriate healthcare services for women and girls with disabilities, and ensuring they receive necessary care. She also highlighted the importance of promoting proper nutrition and disease prevention methods. The council's role focuses on supporting women's rights and monitoring the implementation of related laws and legislation, in addition to supporting training and qualification efforts to enhance the ability of concerned entities to provide appropriate services for women and protect their rights.
The council encourages women to report problems they face and not hesitate to present their complaints so that they can be addressed through specialized mechanisms. Dr. Doura stressed the importance of awareness of women's rights and ways to obtain support and assistance. She discussed the importance of completing efforts to develop the healthcare system in the coming phase by focusing on prevention before treatment, improving medical staff efficiency, localizing the pharmaceutical industry and medical technology, and expanding the use of modern technologies to improve healthcare quality and enhance health security.
Dr. Salma Doura also pointed out the importance of addressing the impacts of climate change on women's health, the need to raise awareness of associated health risks, and enhancing women's and families' ability to deal with these challenges. She emphasized the role of media in supporting women's issues, spreading health and societal awareness, and confronting rumors and misinformation by providing responsible media content that helps correct misconceptions and highlight government efforts in supporting and empowering women.
Dr. Salma Doura concluded by affirming that empowering Egyptian women represents one of the fundamental pillars of building a more advanced and sustainable society. She emphasized the importance of integrating efforts between national institutions and concerned parties to enhance women's rights, provide necessary protection and support, enabling them to play their role in building the family and society and participating in the development process.
Key points
- The Egyptian government prioritizes women's health and empowerment across various sectors.
- The National Strategy for Empowering Egyptian Women 2030 provides a comprehensive framework for enhancing women's status.
- Empowering Egyptian women is fundamental to building a more advanced and sustainable society.
