Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population has overseen the signing of a renewed strategic partnership between global pharmaceutical giant Bayer and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The five-year collaboration, announced at a formal ceremony attended by key government and organizational representatives, aims to enhance family planning awareness and empower Egyptian families to make informed reproductive choices.
The event was presided over by Dr. Abla El-Alfi, Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Health and Population, who highlighted the country’s significant progress in population health outcomes. The partnership, originally launched five years ago, has already contributed meaningfully to improving access to reproductive health services in underserved regions. Building on these achievements, the renewed agreement extends the cooperation through 2028.
Expanding Access, Deepening Impact
Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the Ministry’s spokesperson, emphasized the collaboration’s alignment with Egypt’s ongoing national campaign, “Your Right to Choose,” which promotes comprehensive reproductive health services across both stationary and mobile clinics. The program seeks to raise community awareness and increase demand for family planning options, especially among women in rural and economically disadvantaged areas.
“With the expanded scope of this initiative, our goal is to reach over 810,000 women with family planning education and ensure that 540,000 women gain access to modern contraceptive methods by 2028,” said Dr. Abdel Ghaffar. He noted that the new phase will particularly focus on Upper Egypt and border governorates—regions where disparities in reproductive health access remain pronounced.
The initiative will also support the development of national and local health systems to ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality services. This includes capacity-building for healthcare providers and community education through Egypt’s network of rural female health leaders.
A Demographic Milestone
Dr. El-Alfi took the opportunity to celebrate Egypt’s achievement in lowering its total fertility rate ahead of schedule. By the end of 2024, the rate had dropped to 2.41 children per woman—surpassing the national target of 2.43 previously set for 2027.
“This is a testament to the success of our integrated population and development policies,” she said. “It reflects years of coordinated investment in education, health, and economic growth under the framework of our ten-year national strategy.”
She highlighted the role of the presidential “Bidaya” initiative, which aims to build strong human capital foundations by improving early childhood health and nutrition. The initiative dovetails with the Ministry’s broader reproductive health strategy, which currently operates through more than 5,400 primary care centers nationwide.
From Vision to Action
Speaking during a panel discussion titled “From Vision to Action: Collaborative Pathways to Women’s Health,” Dr. El-Alfi underscored the importance of data-driven monitoring and adaptive service delivery. “We are conducting quarterly reviews and field visits to ensure that services are responsive to real population needs,” she noted.
Efforts also include nutrition campaigns promoting breastfeeding and maternal health, as well as behavior change programs aimed at spacing pregnancies by 3 to 5 years for optimal child development. Pre-marital and pre-natal counseling services are being scaled up, along with training for healthcare professionals and targeted outreach by local women health leaders.
Corporate Commitment to Women’s Health
Uwe Dalichow, Head of the Middle East, Africa, and Eurasia Region at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, affirmed the company’s commitment to advancing reproductive health in Egypt. “We are proud to expand our partnership with UNFPA to better meet unmet needs in family planning,” he said. “This collaboration empowers women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and enhances the well-being of families in communities that need it most.”
Echoing this, Yves Sassenrath, UNFPA Representative in Egypt, said, “Access to voluntary, safe family planning is fundamental to achieving gender equality. This partnership ensures no woman is left behind.”
