Egypt's Local Development Minister and Acting Environment Minister Manal Awad said on Wednesday that the country is committed to integrating environmental sustainability into its expanding healthcare system, as she attended the 6th Annual Forum of the General Authority for Healthcare, held under the patronage of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. The two-day forum, held on 26–27 November in the New Administrative Capital, showcases achievements from the first phase of Egypt's Universal Health Insurance System and outlines plans to extend coverage to new governorates. The event brings together cabinet ministers, governors, foreign ambassadors, healthcare experts and investors, as well as health authority leaders from several Arab and foreign countries. Awad said the forum reflects Egypt's commitment to improving quality of life through coordinated government efforts, noting that "health and environment are two sides of the same coin." Cleaner environments, she stressed, reduce pollution-linked diseases and ease pressure on healthcare services. She added that the Environment Ministry is integrating environmental considerations into health development plans through improved waste management, reduced emissions and the promotion of eco-friendly practices in medical facilities. During the forum, Awad witnessed the signing of a cooperation protocol between the Ministry of Environment—represented by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) and the Waste Management Regulatory Authority—and the General Authority for Healthcare. The agreement aims to strengthen environmental sustainability across healthcare facilities. It was signed by EEAA CEO Ali Abou Sena, Waste Management Authority CEO Yasser Abdullah, and Healthcare Authority Executive Director Amir Al-Telwany. Awad said the protocol extends the ministry's cooperation with state institutions to confront climate change. The agreement aims to bolster the health sector's resilience to climate risks, promote sustainable use of energy and resources, adopt clean energy solutions, ensure safe medical-waste management, and embed environmental considerations into healthcare planning and operations. It also includes joint awareness campaigns, training programmes and the exchange of technical data and expertise. She said cooperation areas include developing plans and procedures to ensure the continuity of healthcare services under climate stresses, integrating environmental principles into facility management, and applying modern technologies for safe and sustainable medical-waste treatment. Both sides will also work together on drafting and updating national climate-health guidelines, technical manuals, monitoring systems and evaluation tools. The minister added that raising environmental awareness within healthcare facilities is a key component of the agreement, including activities to promote sustainable practices and capacity-building programmes for healthcare workers. Under the protocol, the Ministry of Environment will provide technical and scientific support to the Healthcare Authority, mobilise experts for environmental and climate-related policymaking, and support the integration of the health sector into national climate-adaptation plans and Egypt's 2050 Climate Strategy. It will also facilitate data sharing and explore participation in environmental projects within hospitals, including clean-energy and waste-management initiatives. For its part, the Healthcare Authority will implement agreed programmes, establish and support sustainability and green-transition units across its branches, provide operational and technical data for environmental assessments, train medical and administrative staff in sustainability practices, and apply environmental recommendations in line with international quality and accreditation standards. Awad said a joint task force will be formed to oversee implementation, resolve obstacles, hold periodic meetings and issue regular performance reports based on indicators measuring mitigation, adaptation and sustainability within healthcare facilities.
