Egypt's Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar chaired an expanded meeting to assess the stability of the country's medicine and medical supplies supply chains, the Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday. The meeting brought together Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk; Hisham Setit, head of the Egyptian Unified Procurement Authority; Ali El-Ghamrawy, Chairperson of the Egyptian Drug Authority; as well as senior ministry officials and representatives from major pharmaceutical companies and industry stakeholders. Abdel Ghaffar underscored that ensuring access to safe and effective medicines for all citizens is a "national responsibility." He stressed that preventing shortages of essential drugs remains a top state priority, highlighting the need for continuous coordination among all relevant bodies to maintain the availability of medicines and medical supplies and to support the delivery of integrated healthcare services. Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said the meeting reviewed the current status of drug availability in the local market, the measures previously implemented to stabilise supply, and future plans to strengthen the system. He added that participants reaffirmed the importance of securing a sustainable flow of medical consumables to meet the needs of healthcare facilities nationwide. Discussions also addressed challenges related to raw material availability, supply and distribution chains, and mechanisms to ensure their stability. According to the spokesperson, officials examined ways to facilitate the settlement of companies' financial dues as part of the broader presidential directive to stabilise pharmaceutical production and guarantee continuous availability of medicines in the Egyptian market.
