Dr. Abla El-Alfi, Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Health and Population, conducted a field inspection of the El-Ebaadiya El-Gedida Family Health Center in Beheira Governorate on Tuesday, launching her latest round of in-person assessments across the country’s primary healthcare network.
The visit comes in line with directives from Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, mandating intensified field monitoring by deputy ministers to identify system weaknesses, resolve challenges on the ground, and ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality services.
Accompanied by senior regional health officials, Dr. El-Alfi began her visit by reviewing the operations of the Presidential Health Initiatives Room, with particular focus on Egypt’s flagship “100 Million Healthy Lives” campaign. She examined patient registration logs and was briefed on workflows from patient intake through to service completion.
Comprehensive Health Initiatives in Action
The center plays a key role in delivering several national health programs, including:
- Chronic disease and kidney condition screenings
- Maternal and child health services
- Early detection of cancers and hearing loss in newborns
- Premarital screenings
- Women’s health awareness initiatives
Dr. El-Alfi gave specific directives to relocate the family counseling room to the ground floor to improve accessibility, particularly for women aged 15–49. She stressed the need to expand its activation as a key touchpoint for raising awareness about reproductive health and maternal care.
Direct Engagement with Patients
Demonstrating a hands-on approach, the deputy minister spoke directly with patients to gauge their satisfaction. Expressing concern over overcrowding in waiting areas, she instructed the center’s management to restructure administrative flows and immediately provide additional seating to ensure a more comfortable and dignified experience for visitors.
In the child vaccination and development monitoring rooms, Dr. El-Alfi reviewed logbooks and observed the weighing and measuring of a 17-day-old infant. She also inspected pregnancy follow-up records and ensured that essential medical supplies were fully stocked.
Focus on Maternal Health and Family Planning
A stop at the center’s implementation of the “First 1,000 Golden Days” initiative—part of Egypt’s national family development strategy—allowed the deputy minister to assess pre-marriage counseling records, verify the availability of educational resources on family planning, and speak with beneficiaries about their experiences.
She also inspected treatment protocols in the Family Medicine Unit, reviewed vitamin stockpiles, and visited the on-site pharmacy, where she ordered the immediate replenishment of iron supplements for pregnant women.
Economic Empowerment of Women
Concluding her visit, Dr. El-Alfi toured a local women’s economic empowerment exhibition at the nearby Women’s Club. She praised the creativity and craftsmanship of the products on display and emphasized the need to document income and growth metrics for participating women-led businesses. She called for ongoing follow-up to support the scale-up of these micro-enterprises, which she described as crucial to building a more resilient and self-reliant community.
