2.2M surgeries carried out since launch of initiative to reduce waitlists in Egypt

CAIRO – 12 June 2024: Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Population Hossam Abdel Ghaffar stated Wednesday that 2.2 million surgeries were carried out at a cost of LE17 billion since the presidential initiative was launched in July 2018 to reduce surgical waitlist.

The procedures included kidney transplant, cochlear implants, brain surgeries, joint replacement among other bone surgeries; cornea transplant; open heart surgeries; and others involving peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines.

The ministry's spokesperson clarified that the waiting time used to vary between 12 and 16 months, and reached three years in case of joint transplants. Now, the maximum is two weeks, he stated.