Lebanon and Egypt Sign Memorandum of Understanding for Exchange of Expertise

Minister of Public Health Rakan Nasser Al-Din continued his visit to Cairo, where he is presiding over the 73rd session of the Regional Committee for the World Health Organization EMRO. He held meetings with heads of delegations aimed at strengthening cooperation and consolidating relations to support achieving development, social justice, and health equity in the region.

In this context, Minister Dr. Nasser Al-Din met with his Egyptian counterpart, Minister of Health and Population Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar. The discussions focused on issues of care and health coverage, as well as the national drug agency.

Minister Nasser Al-Din praised the developments witnessed by the Egyptian health system regarding universal health coverage, emphasizing the importance of benefiting from the Egyptian experience in developing healthcare in Lebanon.

In this regard, the Minister of Public Health and the Director General of the Universal Health Insurance Authority in Egypt, attended by Minister of Health and Population Dr. Abdel Ghaffar, signed a memorandum of understanding stipulating the exchange of expertise in primary healthcare and other health services.

Additionally, Minister Nasser Al-Din held a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Health of Iran. The discussion addressed the health situation in both countries, challenges, and ways for development.

He also met with the representative of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization "Gavi," Thabani Maphosa. The discussions covered the importance of continuing support for essential vaccines in Lebanon, alongside introducing the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the national immunization program, and the Ministry of Public Health's plan to ensure the sustainability of the program in the long term.

Preparations for the Election of the New Director-General of the Organization

On another note, Minister Dr. Nasser Al-Din held meetings with candidates for the position of Director-General of the World Health Organization, whose election will take place in May 2027. The meetings addressed the organization's priorities in the next phase. The Minister of Public Health stressed the necessity of giving priority to middle- and low-income countries in the organization's programs, particularly regarding emergency preparedness and ensuring equity in access to medicines and vaccines. He also affirmed the importance of the role played by the World Health Organization in protecting health workers and health facilities during times of conflict.

Egyptian-Lebanese Businessmen Association

Furthermore, the Minister of Public Health accepted an invitation to a reception held in his honor at the Egyptian-Lebanese Businessmen Association, attended by Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Hanine El-Sayed, Lebanese Ambassador to Egypt Ali Al-Halabi, and businessmen. Discussions were held with them about the achievements made in improving health services for Lebanese citizens and what additional steps can be accomplished in the coming phase.

He also accepted an invitation hosted by the Saudi Ambassador to Egypt in honor of the Regional Director of the World Health Organization, Dr. Hanan Balkhy.