Egypt, Turkey discuss enhancing health cooperation, treating wounded Gaza people

CAIRO – 14 December 2023: Egypt’s Minister of Health Khaled Abdel Ghaffar and his Turkish counterpart, Minister Fahrettin Koca, discussed via video conference means of enhancing their cooperation in medical fields and continuing efforts to provide treatment services to the injured in Gaza.

The ministers discussed developing cooperation between Egypt and Turkey in the medical and healthcare fields, including through a proposal to hold a joint medical conference between them in 2024, the Egyptian Ministry of Health said in a statement on Thursday.

The conference intends to bring together officials in the medical field from the government and private sector of both countries to exchange experiences and open new horizons for cooperation, especially in the medical manufacturing field.

The conference seeks to leverage the advanced manufacturing tools and capabilities possessed by Egypt and Turkey in this field and integrate them to serve the interests of both countries as the Arab region and Africa.

Furthermore, Abdel Ghaffar hailed Turkish experience in the field of medical tourism, affirming the keenness of Egypt, which places this file among its priorities, to benefit from such experience.

Koca, for his part, extended his appreciation to the Turkish medical team working side by side with the Egyptian medical staff for the humanitarian goal of relieving and saving the injured in Gaza.

The Turkish minister highlighted Egypt’s efforts to provide treatment and medical services to the Palestinian elderly, infants, and women in North Sinai hospitals.

He expressed his pride in cooperation with Abdel Ghaffar in extending a helping hand to those injured.

Moreover, Koca highlighted Turkey’s delivery of tons of medical supplies bound for Gaza to officials in Rafah in light of ongoing intensive collaboration with Egypt. He commended the role of the Egyptian Ministry of Health in helping the Turkish side to achieve this humanitarian goal.

Koca noted that he will send an official invitation to Abdel Ghaffar to visit Turkey, describing this anticipated visit as important for the Turkish side.

Over the past weeks, Egypt and Turkey have cooperated to provide healthcare and treatment services to the injured people in Gaza. Turkey sent a medical team to assist Egyptian doctors in treating wounded Palestinians.

Turkey also sent planes carrying dozens of tons of humanitarian and relief aid bound for Gaza to Egypt’s North Sinai and dispatched a Turkish field hospital aid ship in mid-November.