Egypt's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, signed a wide-ranging Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with his Saudi counterpart, Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel, during an official visit to Riyadh from May 3–4. The agreement marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral cooperation across the health sector. The MoU encompasses collaboration in a broad array of areas, including public health programs, epidemic prevention and control, medical services, virtual healthcare, and health insurance. It also promotes the exchange of expertise and best practices between the two countries. Further areas covered under the agreement include digital health applications, healthcare facility accreditation, patient safety standards, and capacity building in the health workforce. Both sides also agreed to coordinate efforts in disaster response and emergency management. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, spokesperson for Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population, described the agreement as a milestone in bilateral health collaboration. He noted that it includes provisions for the exchange of information on health regulations and coordination of regional and international positions—especially in relation to the International Health Regulations. The MoU also focuses on pharmaceutical care, with plans for cooperation in clinical pharmacy, drug safety, antimicrobial surveillance, rational antibiotic use, and the development of remote and virtual pharmacy services. To operationalize the agreement, both countries will form joint working groups tasked with devising an implementation roadmap, facilitating expert exchanges, and organizing joint conferences, seminars, and workshops. On the sidelines of the MoU signing, the two ministers discussed preparations for the 2025 Hajj season, particularly efforts to ensure efficient and high-quality healthcare services for Egyptian pilgrims. The talks also explored opportunities for deeper cooperation in digital health transformation, universal health insurance systems, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, with the aim of enhancing regional drug security. Additionally, the meeting emphasized expanding public-private partnerships and attracting Saudi investments to support Egypt's healthcare infrastructure. Both ministers concluded by reaffirming the importance of sustaining humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people—especially in the Gaza Strip—highlighting the shared Arab commitment to solidarity and humanitarian responsibility in times of crisis.
