Health Care Authority head witnesses celebration of 70 years of cooperation between Egypt, Japan

CAIRO - 24 February 2025: Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, Chairman of the General Authority for Health Care and General Supervisor of the Comprehensive Health Insurance Project, witnessed the grand celebration organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan in Cairo, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of development cooperation between Egypt and Japan, which was held at the Egyptian Opera House.

 

The celebration was launched in the presence of Ambassador Iwai Fumio, Ambassador of Japan to Egypt, Mr. Yu Ebisao, Chief Representative of the JICA Office in Egypt, Dr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation via video conference, and a number of representatives of ministries and agencies.

 

Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky stressed "that Egyptian-Japanese relations represent a model to be emulated in international cooperation," noting that the healthcare sector in Egypt has witnessed great support from the partnership with JICA, especially in enhancing the quality of medical services and developing the comprehensive health insurance system, which contributes to achieving comprehensive health coverage for citizens according to the latest international standards.

 

He added that the cooperation between the General Authority for Health Care and JICA has resulted in many pioneering projects, most notably the signing of the document to launch the "Patient-Centered Care" project, which will continue until 2027, which is an extension of the project to enhance quality in Egyptian hospitals with the support of JICA, noting that this cooperation reflects Egypt's commitment to adopting the best international practices in healthcare management and improving patient experience.

 

The head of the Health Care Authority explained that the project includes implementing a twinning program between the Ismailia Medical Complex and one of the major Japanese hospitals, with the aim of transferring Japanese expertise in the management and quality of health services, in addition to implementing training programs for medical and administrative cadres, and sending missions for practical training in Japan, which contributes to building the capabilities of medical and administrative teams and enhancing the efficiency of health services provided under the umbrella of comprehensive health insurance.

 

Al-Sobky continued: Our journey with JICA continues to achieve more successes and enhance the construction of a strong and sustainable healthcare system, and perhaps the most important outcome of the partnership is "generalizing the Japanese approach to improving quality and patient safety in all hospitals in the Republic, and sending missions of national facilitators to Japan to train on the latest quality systems and prepare trainers to spread the culture of quality in Egyptian hospitals."

 

The Chairman of the Health Care Authority praised the continuous support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to the health care sector in Egypt, praising its role as a successful partner in modernizing health systems and transferring the latest global medical expertise and technologies, stressing the importance of continuing this cooperation to localize the best Japanese health practices in Egypt.

 

The Chairman of the Health Care Authority, Iwai Fumio, invited the Japanese Ambassador to Egypt, and Yu Ebisao, the Chief Representative of the JICA Office in Egypt, to conduct a field visit to the Health Care Authority facilities, to learn about the pioneering Egyptian experience in comprehensive health coverage on the ground.

 

He extended his sincere thanks to Ken Kato, the former JICA representative in Egypt, for his active role in supporting health cooperation between Egypt and Japan during his tenure at the agency, appreciating JICA's successful efforts and support for the Health Care Authority through the application of advanced Japanese practices in quality management, such as the "5S" and "Kaizen" systems, which contributed to the development of a sustainable and distinguished health system in Egypt.