Photos: Egypt’s Armed Forces, Spain’s Grifols inaugurate Africa’s 1st plasma-supply platform in Giza

CAIRO – 20 October 2021: Egyptian Armed Forces and Spain’s Grifols, a Spanish leading producer of plasma-derived medicines, inaugurated on Wednesday the first integrated plasma collection center in Africa and the Middle East in the 6th of October city, Giza.

The center aims at achieving self-sufficiency in plasma-derived biological medicines, a statement by the Egyptian Army spokesman said.

Minister of Health Hala Zayed, Minister of Higher Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, and Presidential Advisor for Health Affairs Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din attended the the center's opening ceremony.

The center is an integrated complex that includes a plasma donation center, a laboratory for testing plasma samples, and a training center affiliated with the Grifols training academy, the statement read.

“This comes within the framework of the Egyptian state's orientation to reach the highest standards of the integrated medical system for the various medical specialties and fields, in a way that contributes to providing decent health care for the Egyptian citizen,” the statement added.

Víctor Grifols Deu, co-CEO of Grifols said the center represents a "tremendous first step toward plasma self-sufficiency for Egypt," affirming that it will enhance plasma access to the region,” accordin to the Spanish company's website.

“Our alliance with Egypt is a model that will significantly change the way plasma infrastructures are conceived, built and managed, enabling much greater availability of plasma medicines,” Grifols Deu added.