3 days ago
Health Ministry reviews Fitch agency's report on Egypt's achievements in pharmaceutical industry
The Ministry of Health and Population expressed appreciation for the report issued by Fitch Ratings in August 2025, which praised the strategic steps Egypt has taken to strengthen the pharmaceutical industry.
The report confirmed that the comprehensive economic reforms and wide-ranging regulatory updates implemented by the Egyptian state have contributed to creating an attractive investment environment, enhancing Egypt's position as a leading regional hub for the pharmaceutical industry in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The report highlighted that these reforms attracted major global companies to the Egyptian market.
The report also lauded significant regulatory transformations, topped by the reduction of drug registration periods from 3-5 years to between two and six months, thus enabling global companies to accelerate product launches and increase registration applications.
It explained that the Egyptian market continues to promote local manufacturing and technology transfer despite challenges linked to investment in research and development.
It noted that in 2024, the Egyptian government signed three financing agreements with the European Union worth 36 million euros to support vaccine manufacturing and scientific research development.
The report also praised the legal framework regulating clinical trials, including Law No. 214 of 2020 and its executive regulations No. 927 of 2022, which improve ethical oversight and participant protection.
The report addressed health and population achievements related to medicine demand, noting Egypt's efforts to confront challenges associated with population growth and non-communicable disease prevalence through presidential initiatives for early detection and awareness.
It also commended sustainable achievements in combating infectious diseases, highlighting the World Health Organization's declaration of Egypt as free from malaria, measles, and rubella, along with notable progress toward eliminating hepatitis C and B.
Furthermore, the report underscored national efforts to combat diabetes through screening, early diagnosis campaigns, updating treatment guidelines, conducting the Stepwise survey, and distributing 3,000 HbA1c testing devices to primary healthcare units, ensuring unified care standards based on scientific evidence.
It pointed to a noticeable decline in fertility rates from 3.44 births per woman in 2015 to 2.10 births in 2023, reflecting the expansion of reproductive health services, increased education rates, and women's participation in the labor market.
Regarding cancer, the report stated that early detection initiatives, notably the President's initiative to support Egyptian women's health launched in 2019, achieved around 60 million visits, reflecting increased health awareness. These efforts contributed to a reduction in advanced cancer cases (stages III and IV) to reach 29 percent.
State funding for cancer treatment doubled from 1.8 billion Egyptian pounds in 2020-2021 to 3.6 billion pounds in 2023-2024, along with ongoing investment in oncology infrastructure.
Regarding hepatitis C, the report stated that Egypt was the first country to attain the World Health Organization's 'Gold Level' classification in October 2023, reflecting a commitment to reducing infection and mortality rates, and is a step toward complete disease elimination before 2030.
Regarding HIV/AIDS, the report indicated that Egypt's prevalence rate is lower than the regional average and highlighted the provision of free antiretroviral treatment to all patients through an extensive network of specialized government centers, with no interruptions in drug availability over the past six years, demonstrating the sustainability of the healthcare system.
