Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, hosted Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Trade and International Development Cooperation, Mr. Johan Forssell, in Cairo this week to discuss avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector and supporting humanitarian efforts for Palestinians injured in the Gaza conflict.
Held at the Ministry of Health’s headquarters, the high-level talks were attended by Swedish Ambassador to Egypt, H.E. Håkan Emsgård, and a delegation of senior officials from both nations. Egyptian health officials present included Dr. Peter Wagih, Assistant Minister for Therapeutic Medicine; Dr. Ahmed El-Gohary, Advisor for Technical Institutes; and Dr. Shaimaa Fouad, Director General of Health Economics and Investment Support.
Strengthening Ties Through Health Investment and Aid
Welcoming the Swedish delegation, Minister Abdel Ghaffar highlighted the historic and strategic relationship between Egypt and Sweden and underscored Cairo’s keenness to expand collaboration, particularly in healthcare investment.
According to Ministry spokesperson Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the meeting offered a comprehensive overview of Egypt’s ongoing efforts to provide critical medical care to injured Palestinians. These efforts include the deployment of mobile medical units, advanced trauma treatment in Egyptian hospitals, and the continuous flow of humanitarian aid through the Rafah border crossing.
Both sides explored the potential for Swedish support in enhancing medical services for Palestinians, with a focus on emergency care, post-trauma rehabilitation, and logistics support for aid delivery.
Spotlight on Pharmaceutical Innovation, IP Protection, and Green Hospitals
The discussions also touched on several key healthcare development pillars, including pharmaceutical registration, protection of intellectual property rights, and Egypt’s growing prominence as a regional pharmaceutical hub. The Swedish delegation expressed strong interest in the Egyptian pharmaceutical market and emphasized Sweden’s readiness to support technology transfer and regulatory collaboration.
A focal point of the dialogue was the integration of sustainable healthcare infrastructure through the establishment of environmentally friendly “green hospitals.” The two countries also examined opportunities for public-private partnerships (PPPs) in health infrastructure modernization and the local manufacturing of medical devices and supplies using cutting-edge Swedish technologies.
Medical Workforce Training and Road Safety Synergy
Another area of mutual interest was the training and capacity-building of medical personnel. Egypt and Sweden discussed frameworks for knowledge exchange, especially in critical care, medical technology, and hospital management.
In a unique cross-sector collaboration, Swedish officials also shared insights into their internationally acclaimed road safety model, Vision Zero, which aims to minimize traffic-related injuries and fatalities—a model Egypt is exploring as it works to enhance emergency medical response systems nationwide.
Sweden Commits to Supporting Egypt’s Humanitarian Role
Minister Forssell commended Egypt’s leadership in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, expressing Sweden’s commitment to supporting Egyptian efforts in addressing the humanitarian fallout from the conflict. He praised Egypt’s healthcare modernization strategy and emphasized his country’s readiness to contribute to sustainable development in Egypt’s medical sector.
Looking Ahead
As Egypt continues to position itself as a regional leader in health innovation and humanitarian diplomacy, this bilateral engagement with Sweden marks a significant step toward internationalizing Egypt’s healthcare investments and reinforcing its pivotal role in regional stability.
The meeting concluded with mutual agreement to establish a joint working group to translate dialogue into action and monitor progress across the various cooperation tracks.
