Egypt has joined the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) Global Alliance, marking a new step in the country's growing international role in public health, the ministry of health announced in a statement on Tuesday. Prominent Egyptian Oncologist Professor Hisham El-Ghazaly, chairman of the National Committee of the Presidential Initiative on Women's Health, was elected as a board member of the alliance during its Eighth International Consensus Conference (ABC8) that took place in Lisbon, Portugal, on 6-8 November 2025. The move recognises Egypt's progress in early detection and treatment programmes backed by presidential health initiatives that have drawn international praise. The Women's Health Initiative has logged more than 64.9 million medical visits and screened 23 million women across 3,700 clinics and 12 mobile units, supported by 120 mammogram machines and 22 modernised pathology labs, the ministry said. El-Ghazaly said his election underscores Egypt's commitment to innovation and early detection, "making a real difference in patients' lives" and reinforcing the country's regional and international leadership in breast cancer control. Egypt's Women's Health Programme has been cited by delegates at ABC8 in Lisbon as a model for low- and middle-income countries, offering integrated and cost-efficient care. El-Ghazaly has also participated with global experts in drafting international treatment guidelines for metastatic breast cancer, the ministry added. Launched in November 2016 during the World Cancer Congress in Paris by the European School of Oncology, the ABC Global Alliance is a non-profit worldwide platform uniting experts, organisations, and advocates to advance care for patients with advanced breast cancer. Building on the 2011 ABC International Consensus Conference, the alliance develops the internationally recognised ESO-ESMO guidelines and drives initiatives that raise awareness, improve treatment, and extend patient survival worldwide. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
