Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, held a meeting with Dr. Darmesh Shah, Chairman and Managing Director of India’s BDR Group, accompanied by his delegation, and Dr. Gamal El-Leithy, CEO of Future Pharmaceutical Industries (FPI) and Head of the Egyptian Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry. The meeting was also attended by Dr. Hesham Sateet, Head of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement and Medical Supply, and Dr. Ali Al-Ghamrawi, Head of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), to discuss ways of joint cooperation to support Egypt’s pharmaceutical sector and promote local manufacturing.

During the meeting, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar reaffirmed the state’s commitment to localizing the pharmaceutical industry and transferring advanced technology, with the aim of achieving drug security for Egyptian citizens. He emphasized that strengthening partnerships with specialized global entities is a strategic step to develop local manufacturing capacities, reduce dependence on imports, and ensure the availability of safe and effective medicines of high quality and affordable prices.

He added that the Ministry places pharmaceutical manufacturing at the top of its priorities, working to create a supportive regulatory and technical environment that encourages serious investments and contributes to transferring global expertise.

Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, explained that the meeting discussed the establishment of a specialized factory for the production of biologics and oncology medicines in Egypt. The aim is to reduce the cost of importing high-priced medicines, which burden the state’s general budget, and to ease pressure on foreign currency reserves. The project also seeks to sustainably provide cancer patients with biologics at affordable prices, thereby improving healthcare quality and strengthening drug security, in line with the state’s strategy to boost local manufacturing in vital sectors.

Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that the Minister stressed the need to expedite the project’s implementation, with a clear timeline to complete all stages in the shortest possible period, ensuring efficient achievement of its goals. The Minister also emphasized accelerating the registration procedures of the company’s products with the Egyptian Drug Authority to facilitate their entry into the Egyptian market and meet citizens’ needs for medicines and medical supplies, supporting the state’s strategy for localizing the pharmaceutical industry.

During the meeting, the Minister listened to a presentation from representatives of India’s BDR Group, showcasing their achievements in oncology treatment and biologics development, with a focus on the advanced technologies offered by the company. They highlighted the success of implementing similar projects in several countries, where it contributed to enhancing healthcare quality and providing effective treatments at reasonable costs.

Attending the meeting from the Ministry’s side were Dr. Peter Wagih, Assistant Minister for Therapeutic Medicine, Dr. Rasha El-Sharkawy, Head of the Central Department of Strategic Management, and Dr. Hend Ashour, Director of the General Administration of Pharmacy.

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