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Speech of Dr Henk Bekedam at launch of the hepatitis C treatment programme
His Excellency, the Minister of Health and Population, Dr Adel Adawy
Dear friends and colleagues, ladies and gentlemen
Good morning
Today is an exciting day for the people of Egypt, and for people worldwide, as Egypt takes unprecedented steps against viral hepatitis. It is my pleasure to share this moment with all of you, and I thank the Ministry of Health and Population for graciously hosting this event.
I would like to begin by thanking the Minister for his leadership in treating and preventing viral hepatitis in Egypt. I recognize the crucial role that the National Committee for the Control of Viral Hepatitis has played, specifically in the development and implementation of the hepatitis C treatment programme. Their contributions have been inspirational not only in Egypt, but internationally.
I would also like to thank Egypt for taking the initiative to address the issue of viral hepatitis in such a comprehensive manner. It is a disease that affects nations around the globe, and the work that is done here will benefit people worldwide. People will look to Egypt for guidance as they fight hepatitis in their own countries.
Today is particularly exciting because hepatitis is being attacked from two sides. A new treatment programme will be started, which will provide great benefit to those who are already infected. At the same time the viral hepatitis plan of action is launched, which outlines how new infections can be prevented. I applaud the Ministry for pursuing this balance between prevention and treatment.
The plan that the Minister is announcing today is strong and well-researched. It is the result of extensive collaboration between many partners led by the Ministry of Health and Population, and including the National Committee for the Control of Viral Hepatitis, WHO, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pasteur Institute, NAMRU-3, USAID, UNICEF, Misr El Kheir, the Red Crescent, and many others who are dedicated to reducing the burden of viral hepatitis in Egypt. It is important and commendable that other sectors, like the Ministries of Higher Education and Defense, have been involved in the development of this plan. This has created a strong base for implementation.
Together with other partners, WHO will continue to support the Government of Egypt in the shared hope to not only cure people by treatment, but also to comprehensively implement preventive measures to ensure that fewer people become infected. These measures will include surveillance, blood safety, hepatitis B birth dose vaccination and infection control. Early next year we will be working closely with Egypt to benefit from a new global injection safety initiative.
Finally, we look forward to raising public awareness of viral hepatitis. The public, together with health care providers, hold the key to prevention.
My congratulations again to the Ministry and to the people of Egypt. We applaud your efforts and your initiative, and look forward to continuing to work together on the treatment and prevention of viral hepatitis.
We look forward to the full implementation of the plan, which will be regularly monitored for progress to ensure that Egyptians can enjoy better and healthier lives.
Thank you.
Dr Bekedam's speech on release of white paper
I would like to warmly congratulate your Excellency and the Ministry of Health and Population for producing this white paper which puts the move towards universal health coverage high on the agenda and outlines a clear vision for the health sector in Egypt.
The white paper is a strong response to the new Constitution’s focus on health; it defines the principles and directions that will guide the Egyptian health sector in translating the constitutional aspirations of the right to health and access to health services into reality.
I am pleased that WHO, together with other development partners, have been supporting the development of this white paper.
It acknowledges the progress made in Egypt on many fronts; for example, in achieving the Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child health. But it also underlines the many challenges remaining.
Under-five mortality is two and half times higher in the poorest 20% of the population than it is in the richest 20%. There are also signs of increased malnutrition among children. This demonstrates the inequalities in health outcomes.
Adding to this is the large contribution that households are paying for health services. Over 70% of total health expenditure is borne by individuals, resulting in challenges in access to services and financial difficulties.
The paper also lays out the double challenges of tackling persistent communicable diseases, such as hepatitis C, and the increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes and cancer.
The white paper also points out the main system-wide bottlenecks that have marred Egypt for the past few decades.
It notes that many of these problems are a result of low investment in health. The Constitution though gives hope as it defines the target for government health spending to be at least 3% of GDP – this would double current public health spending.
The White Paper gives guidance on how to best use this increased investment in health. More money is urgently needed for public health programmes to address key public health challenges, such as hepatitis C, maternal and child health and noncommunicable diseases.
In addition, expansion of health insurance coverage to all Egyptians is outlined as a long-term goal through a step-by-step approach. This is why I am excited by the current discussions on the draft health insurance law, which promises increased support for people to access health services without incurring financial catastrophe.
Asking for more money is the easy part but ensuring that the money is well spent is a challenge in the current system. This White Paper clearly underlines the challenge of inefficiencies. It points out that health sector reform is needed to achieve better health outcomes for the money spent.
Many countries, including in this region, are moving towards universal health coverage – ensuring access to quality health services for everyone without individuals having to suffer financial hardship to pay for health services. We in WHO have learned that this will require a long-term vision, a national effort, well beyond the Ministry of Health and Population, and high level political commitment at the level of the President and Prime Minister.
National health plans with medium and long-term objectives and clearly defined targets and goals will facilitate progress towards achievement of universal coverage. Reviewing progress on a regular basis and adjusting policies if needed are crucial to stay on track to improve health outcomes.
Once again, I congratulate the Ministry of Health. The white paper is a milestone and will provide guidance for future health policy development in Egypt. WHO and development partners are keen to support the next steps in the process of improving the health of all Egyptians.
WHO presence in Egypt
The WHO Representative’s Office in Egypt supports the Government and health authorities at central and local level in strengthening health services, addressing public health issues and supporting and promoting research for health.
Physicians, public health specialists, scientists, social scientists and epidemiologists provide appropriate technical support and collaboration upon the request or acceptance of national authorities.
As the lead health agency, WHO works with many partners to support countries in reaching their national health development goals and to ensure that its efforts are coordinated. Across the Region, these include United Nations agencies, humanitarian and development partners, donors, nongovernmental organizations, WHO collaborating centres and the private sector.
