Egypt's Health minister hails cooperation with UNICEF in maternity, child programs

CAIRO, Oct 3 (MENA) - Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar has praised cooperation with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and efforts exerted to support services the UN body offers to the ministry, including fruitful cooperation during the past period on the health of mothers and children.

The minister's statements came during a meeting Monday with UNICEF representative in Cairo Jeremy Hopkins and his accompanying delegation.

They discussed UNICEF technical support to the ministry to develop its policies and strategies as well as health care offered to Egyptian children.

Spokesman for the Ministry Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said in a statement that the meeting dealt with cooperation to implement the ministry's strategy as part of presidential initiative "Decent Life" as well as Egypt's Universal Health Insurance System (UHIS) through offering technical and technological support to develop medical facilities.

The minister discussed with the UNICEF delegation cooperation in supporting the national strategy for food and nutrition and the program of supporting children's heath.

The minister stressed the importance of cooperation with the international organization in the fields of school nutrition programs and the presidential initiative for the early detection of obesity, anemia and dwarfing to protect the children from diseases.

They discussed cooperation with UNICEF in providing basic vaccines for children as part of an inoculation program approved by the ministry.