Egypt's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, met with Anna Kasprzak, Regional Vice President of Medtronic and President of Africa, Central, and Eastern Europe, along with her accompanying delegation, to discuss collaboration in medical technology, services, and solutions aimed at strengthening Egypt's healthcare sector. The meeting, held at the ministry's headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, focused on several key initiatives, including expanding access to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI) surgeries. Discussions covered identifying eligible patients, increasing the number of specialized centers across Egypt's governorates, and streamlining treatment prioritization. Abdel Ghaffar highlighted Egypt's progress in utilizing TAVI technology, emphasizing that the partnership with Medtronic could further improve patient outcomes, reduce emergency interventions, and optimize available resources under Egypt's initiative to eliminate surgical waiting lists. Another major topic was the potential launch of a national screening program for critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) in newborns using pulse oximetry devices. Abdel Ghaffar underscored the importance of early detection, noting that integrating this test into national health protocols would significantly enhance diagnosis rates and reduce complications. The meeting also explored incorporating this screening into national health policies and selecting hospitals for an initial pilot phase, with plans for a nationwide rollout. The discussions further included the introduction of deep brain stimulation (DBS) technology for treating neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease. The proposal aimed to integrate DBS into Egypt's health insurance system, ensuring broader patient access to this advanced treatment. Hospitals were identified as potential centers of excellence for implementing the technology. Additionally, the meeting covered cooperation with hospitals and medical centers to provide advanced medical equipment to support the treatment of Palestinian casualties in Egypt. The two sides also explored collaborative training programs for doctors, particularly in cardiovascular diseases, in partnership with leading teaching hospitals and medical institutions. Abdel Ghaffar reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge medical technologies to enhance healthcare services, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen Egypt's position as a regional leader in advanced medical treatments.
