On World Hepatitis Day 2024, Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, made a virtual address at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) webinar.
In his speech, Ghaffar emphasized Egypt’s goal to eliminate hepatitis C globally by 2030. He highlighted the need for accelerated efforts in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to save lives and improve global health outcomes.
He also pointed out Egypt’s success in reducing the prevalence of hepatitis C from 10% to 0.38% within a decade, attributing this achievement to sustained efforts and political commitment.
In turn, Hosam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, explained that Egypt had achieved the gold standard in eliminating hepatitis C by significantly reducing new infections and deaths, ultimately eradicating the hepatitis C epidemic.
Furthermore, Abdel Ghaffar emphasized Egypt’s commitment to maintaining its success by developing a sustainability plan in collaboration with the WHO.
This plan aims to maintain the gains made and set a roadmap to achieve the global targets for hepatitis C elimination.
The Minister also highlighted the comprehensive evaluation of Egypt’s hepatitis C program, emphasizing that the insights gained will inform the development of strategies to enhance care and prioritize harm reduction.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the WHO, commended Egypt’s historic achievement in eliminating hepatitis C, while Hanan Balkhy, the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, expressed pride in Egypt’s accomplishments, highlighting that the country has transformed the global landscape of hepatitis C elimination.
