Over 60 million visits recorded under Egypt's Women's Health Initiative since 2019
Health Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said the initiative has recorded a total of 60.5 million visits, comprising 22.7 million first-time visits, 24.9 million follow-up visits, and 12.8 million for non-regular cases.
He noted that 823,670 women were referred to hospitals for advanced diagnostics. The services are delivered through 3,663 primary healthcare units nationwide, supported by 102 hospitals equipped to provide further evaluation and treatment when needed.
The program adheres to international standards for breast cancer care, backed by 14 Ministry of Health centres and 14 university hospital centres, all offering services free of charge. These centres are also being prepared to participate in applied research on cancer treatment.
Targeting women aged 18 and above, the initiative also screens for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, alongside education on reproductive health and family planning.
Hatem Amin, Executive Director of the initiative, reported that 33,573 breast cancer cases have been detected since its launch, with 446,964 mammograms performed and 51,479 tumour samples collected for analysis. All confirmed cases received treatment at no cost.
Additionally, mobile clinics examined 137,706 women and conducted mammograms for 55,554 of them. Amin noted that patients are followed up through both the national health insurance and public healthcare systems.
He also highlighted the ministry's efforts in training medical staff—including doctors, nurses, and radiology technicians—and mentioned that 29,341 inquiries were received via the '100 Million Health' hotline (15335) between November 2021 and June 2025.
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Daily News Egypt
a day ago
- Daily News Egypt
Over 60 million visits recorded under Egypt's Women's Health Initiative since 2019
Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population announced on Saturday that the Presidential Women's Health Initiative has provided more than 60 million visits since its launch in July 2019, offering free screenings and awareness services to promote early breast cancer detection and improve women's overall health. Health Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said the initiative has recorded a total of 60.5 million visits, comprising 22.7 million first-time visits, 24.9 million follow-up visits, and 12.8 million for non-regular cases. He noted that 823,670 women were referred to hospitals for advanced diagnostics. The services are delivered through 3,663 primary healthcare units nationwide, supported by 102 hospitals equipped to provide further evaluation and treatment when needed. The program adheres to international standards for breast cancer care, backed by 14 Ministry of Health centres and 14 university hospital centres, all offering services free of charge. These centres are also being prepared to participate in applied research on cancer treatment. Targeting women aged 18 and above, the initiative also screens for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, alongside education on reproductive health and family planning. Hatem Amin, Executive Director of the initiative, reported that 33,573 breast cancer cases have been detected since its launch, with 446,964 mammograms performed and 51,479 tumour samples collected for analysis. All confirmed cases received treatment at no cost. Additionally, mobile clinics examined 137,706 women and conducted mammograms for 55,554 of them. Amin noted that patients are followed up through both the national health insurance and public healthcare systems. He also highlighted the ministry's efforts in training medical staff—including doctors, nurses, and radiology technicians—and mentioned that 29,341 inquiries were received via the '100 Million Health' hotline (15335) between November 2021 and June 2025.
Egypt Independent
a day ago
- Egypt Independent
What killed a family of 7 in Minya? The dark truth revealed
Hundreds of villagers from Dalija village in the Dermawas city, Minya governorate mourned Nasser Mohamed Ali, the father of six children who died in the village over the past two weeks. The father passed away just three days after the death of his last child, 'Farha.' The grieving family's grave was opened for the seventh time in 14 days. Ali was transferred to Assiut University Hospital last week after his health deteriorated in Minya Hospital, where he was receiving treatment following the successive deaths of his six children in a mysterious incident – the details of which are only beginning to emerge. The grim tragedy began about two weeks ago with the successive deaths of four siblings, amid initial suspicions that they had contracted meningitis; this was denied by the Ministry of Health in an official statement. Although the fifth and sixth children, Rahma and Farha, were transferred to the hospital for close observation, they followed their siblings one by one, before their father joined them on Friday. Chlorfenapyr – a toxic substance with no antidote A professor of toxicology at the Faculty of Medicine at Minya University, who directly supervised the fifth and sixth victims (Rahma and Farha), Mohamed Ismail Abdel-Hafeez, explained that the symptoms exhibited by the children, as well as their father, are consistent with poisoning by the pesticide Chlorfenapyr. This conclusion was reached after extensive consultations with toxicology experts at Alexandria and Ain Shams universities, and comparing the case to previous rare cases, he explained. Abdel-Hafeez pointed out that one of the biggest challenges in the Minya children's case was the inability to detect the toxic substance in conventional laboratory blood tests, which is consistent with the properties of Chlorfenapyr. He noted that in more than 35 years of medical practice, he had never witnessed such a strange and complex case. The vital functions of the victims initially appeared stable before suddenly and fatally deteriorating, starting with an irregular heartbeat and ending with complete cardiac arrest. The professor of toxicology at Faculty of Medicine at Minya University continued that there is no treatment or antidote for this substance. He pointed out that these substances are naturally toxic and must be handled with care. Abdel-Hafeez said that 'Half a gram is enough to kill an adult. Symptoms may appear after hours or days, depending on each individual's body, and how it reacts.' Chlorfenapyr is used in agriculture to control pests. It disrupts the energy production process within the body's cells, leading to systemic failure and tissue death, making it a silent killer that is difficult to detect and treat. Second wife under suspicion The Public Prosecution is continuing its investigations with the children's mother (the father's second wife) and the grandfather, in an attempt to unravel the mystery of the successive deaths within the family. The deaths began about two weeks ago with the death of three of the children, followed by their fourth brother, then the two girls, Rahma and Farha, and finally the father. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
UHIS reaches Aswan - Egypt - Al-Ahram Weekly
There is no doubt that there is dire need for a more effective health insurance system in Egypt capable of providing citizens with high-quality treatment at their outlet of choice. Accordingly, the Ministry of Health and Population has completed the first phase of the new health insurance system by introducing it to Aswan governorate. The official launch reflects the government's commitment to establishing an inclusive, solidarity-based healthcare system that prioritises citizens' health. Ahmed Al-Sobki, chairman of Healthcare Authority and the general supervisor of the Universal Health Insurance System (UHIS), noted that 97 healthcare facilities have been officially launched in Aswan so far, including in eight major hospitals: Aswan Specialised Hospital, Al-Ramad Specialised Hospital, Al-Masalla Specialised Hospital, Abu Simbel International Hospital, Aswan Oncology Centre, Kom Ombo Central Hospital, Daraw Central Hospital, and Nile Specialised Hospital. This is in addition to 89 family medicine centres and health units that are currently providing services. According to Al-Sobki, the target is to reach 123 healthcare facilities, including 11 hospitals and 121 family medicine centres, as the implementation phases are progressing. 'All facilities are being outfitted according to the highest technical and medical standards to ensure safe, high-quality healthcare for all beneficiaries,' stated Al-Sobki. 'The authority's healthcare network in Aswan delivers services across all levels: primary care such as general consultations and preventive services. Secondary care includes diagnostics, outpatient clinics, and emergency services. In addition to tertiary care, there are complex surgeries and specialised treatments. All medical services provided include comprehensive medical checkups, diagnostic imaging and laboratory services, outpatient clinics, emergency response, and high-precision surgical procedures,' Al-Sobki said. He highlighted that the total investment in infrastructure for healthcare facilities in Aswan exceeds LE9 billion, with an additional LE2.5 billion allocated for medical and non-medical equipment as part of the government's broader vision to build an integrated, and sustainable healthcare infrastructure that meets global standards. Al-Sobki stated that the official launching in Aswan was a significant step towards completing the first phase of the UHIS across selected governorates. It reflects the government's determination to establish a comprehensive and equitable healthcare model, enabling all Upper Egypt citizens to access global standards of medical care without financial hardship. Al-Sobki revealed that 2.4 million citizens, with operational costs exceeding LE27.5 billion, have registered in the UHIS in Upper Egypt governorates (Luxor and Aswan). More than 27 million medical and therapeutic services have been delivered to beneficiaries across the region through 171 affiliated healthcare facilities. Among them are 24 million services provided in Luxor governorate, the second governorate to implement the UHIS. Three million services were delivered in Aswan. 'Nearly 400,000 surgeries and surgical interventions have been performed in Upper Egypt under the authority's facilities. These include highly complex procedures, many of which were conducted for the first time under the umbrella of the UHIS,' said Al-Sobki. He added that regardless of the actual cost of the surgery, citizens are required to pay less than LE450. Some procedures performed under the system would otherwise cost over LE1 million outside of insurance coverage. Al-Sobki affirmed that the authority has made a transformational upgrade of the healthcare infrastructure in Upper Egypt, with the provision of over 1,200 hospital beds across its facilities. These include general inpatient beds, Intensive Care Unit beds, and neonatal incubators, so as to meet the growing healthcare demands of the population and ensure access to highly advanced medical services. 'Around 40 per cent of these beds have been allocated to critical care services, such as intensive care and neonatal units,' he said. According to Al-Sobki, family health centres and units in Upper Egypt have provided more than 17 million family healthcare services to date, through 155 centres and units operating in the participating governorates. Additionally, over 1.3 million comprehensive medical checkups have been conducted, reinforcing the foundational role of family medicine as the primary point of access to the UHIS, via 150 medical facilities that have been officially accredited in accordance with the standards set by the General Authority for Healthcare Accreditation and Regulation which is internationally recognised by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare. * A version of this article appears in print in the 24 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
