Egypt's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, inaugurated an international workshop on Tuesday in collaboration with the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC). The workshop aimed to exchange knowledge and best practices in the fight against Hepatitis C. Abdel Ghaffar welcomed the ECDC delegation, commending the decision to host this joint event in Egypt for the second time this year. He emphasized that Egypt's role as a global hub connecting continents and cultures underscores its commitment to providing support both regionally and globally. The Minister highlighted the importance of the fruitful partnership among all participants, stressing their shared commitment to tackling global health challenges and achieving tangible outcomes that strengthen public health worldwide. Abdel Ghaffar also took the opportunity to outline Egypt's groundbreaking success in eliminating Hepatitis C. He detailed the country's journey toward achieving international certification as Hepatitis C-free in 2022, noting that in 2015, Egypt had one of the highest Hepatitis C prevalence rates in the world. Today, Egypt stands as an international model in this field. He explained that the National Initiative for Early Detection and Treatment of Hepatitis C successfully screened 63 million citizens and provided treatment to over 4 million patients. This remarkable achievement was completed in record time and with such efficiency that it garnered global admiration. The Minister emphasized that Egypt's success was not confined to treatment alone. It also involved strict preventive measures, such as ensuring blood safety through rigorous testing, implementing modern health protocols, and providing medical education and training to promote safe practices. Abdel Ghaffar concluded: "This inspiring journey proves that with ambition and hard work, public health can be transformed. We must leverage this success to ensure that every country is equipped with the tools and resources needed to eliminate Hepatitis C." Piotr Kramarz, Chief Scientist at the ECDC, praised Egypt's achievements, describing them as an inspiring global lesson in the fight against Hepatitis C. He pointed out that the workshop brought together experts from Africa and the Middle East to learn from Egypt's experience, emphasizing that this success demonstrates the potential to eliminate chronic diseases through strong will and effective management. Kramarz concluded: "Egypt has shown that eliminating a disease like Hepatitis C is not just a dream, but an achievable goal. We look forward to developing sustainable strategies that will help countries around the world replicate this remarkable achievement."
