Egypt's Acting health min. probes cooperation with Italian Agency for Development Cooperation

CAIRO - 9 May 2022: Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and acting Health and Population Minister, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar received Sunday a delegation from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) at the ministry's headquarters.

During his meeting the Italian delegation, led by director of the AICS, the minister discussed the three phases of an Egyptian-Italian project to improve nursing services at the health ministry's affiliated hospitals.

The 1st phase kicked off in 2016 at the Technical Health Institute in Port Said, as part of the Universal Health Insurance System (UHIS), the minister pointed out.

Launched in 2019 and scheduled for completion in March 2023, the project's 1st phase covers the governorates of Port Said, South Sinai, Ismailia, and Luxor, the first Upper Egyptian governorate to benefit from the project.

Meanwhile, the 2nd phase involves supplying the nursing divisions at technical health institutes with necessary equipment, equipping medical labs, establishing specialized libraries, and improving the syllabi of nursing schools nationwide.

Abdel Ghaffar also reviewed with the delegation members the execution mechanisms of the project's 3rd phase, which includes the hospitals of Cairo, Alexandria, and Giza, said Health Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar.

The two sides also explored cooperation opportunities in scholarship exchange programs in various specialties, including congenital heart surgery, cardiac anesthesia, as well as ICU and general nursing, the spokesman noted.

Italy's Ambassador in Cairo Michele Quaroni and Head of the Commissioning Committee and the Training and Research Sector at the Health and Population Ministry Sahar Helmy also attended the meeting.