Egypt now manufactures 91% of its pharmaceutical needs locally, making it the leading country on the African continent in domestic drug production, according to Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population and Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development.
Speaking in a televised interview with Extra News, Dr Abdel Ghaffar highlighted Egypt’s achievements in the health and industrial sectors during the ongoing African Health Conference and Exhibition.
He credited President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directives for prioritising state-led industrial development and localisation.
“The importance of the African Health Africa Conference and Exhibition stems from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directives to prioritise various state sectors, as well as focus on industry and localising it in Egypt,” Dr Abdel Ghaffar said.
He noted that several critical medical technologies featured at the exhibition—such as ventilators and television scans—were entirely manufactured in Egypt.
The country is also moving toward the local production of more advanced medical imaging systems like MRI and CT scan machines, in addition to surgical consumables.
“These represent the most powerful industrial capabilities on the continent,” he added.
Dr Abdel Ghaffar also underscored the government’s investment in digital infrastructure.
He revealed that over the past eight years, Egypt has built a vast health information system containing data on citizens and patients, aiding in early diagnosis and healthcare planning.
“This includes applications for early and accurate diagnosis, the development of new types of medicine using artificial intelligence, and telemedicine,” he said.
This data is largely drawn from presidential health initiatives such as the landmark “100 Million Health Initiative,” and is used by decision-makers to guide policy and improve outcomes.
The minister’s remarks reaffirm Egypt’s status as a regional leader in healthcare innovation, digital transformation, and pharmaceutical manufacturing—a role it aims to strengthen further in the years ahead.
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