Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, held a meeting with Dr. Darmish Shah, Chairman and Managing Director of the Indian BDR Group, accompanied by his delegation, and Dr. Gamal El-Laithi, CEO of Future Pharmaceutical Industries (FPI) and Chairman of the Egyptian Pharmaceutical Industry Chamber. The meeting was attended by Dr. Hesham Steit, Head of the Egyptian Unified Procurement and Medical Supply Authority, and Dr. Ali El-Ghamrawy, Head of the Egyptian Drug Authority, to discuss ways to support the pharmaceutical sector in Egypt and enhance local manufacturing.

During the meeting, Abdel Ghaffar affirmed the state’s commitment to localizing drug manufacturing and transferring advanced technology to achieve pharmaceutical security for Egyptian citizens.

He pointed out that strengthening partnerships with specialized global entities is a strategic step to develop local manufacturing capabilities, reduce reliance on imports, and ensure the provision of safe and effective medicines of high quality at reasonable prices.

The ministry prioritizes pharmaceutical manufacturing and works to create a regulatory and technical environment that supports serious investments and contributes to transferring global expertise.

Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, explained that the meeting discussed establishing a specialized factory to produce biological drugs and oncology medicines in Egypt. The aim is to reduce the import bill of high-cost medicines that burden the state budget and ease pressure on foreign currencies. The project also aims to provide biological medicines for cancer patients sustainably and at affordable prices, enhancing the quality of health services and supporting pharmaceutical security, in line with the state’s strategy to promote local manufacturing in vital sectors.

Abdel Ghaffar emphasized the minister’s insistence on accelerating the project’s implementation and setting a clear timeline to complete all its stages as soon as possible to ensure achieving the objectives efficiently.

The minister also stressed speeding up 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 to localize pharmaceutical industry.

During the meeting, the minister listened to a presentation by representatives of the Indian BDR Group, who reviewed their achievements in cancer treatment and biological drug development, focusing on the modern technologies provided by the company. They pointed to the successful implementation of the project in several countries, contributing to improving healthcare quality and providing effective treatments at reasonable costs.

From the ministry side, Dr. Peter Wagih, Assistant Minister for Therapeutic Medicine, Dr. Rasha El-Sharkawy, Head of the Central Administration for Strategic Management, and Dr. Hend Ashour, Director General of Pharmacy Administration, attended the meeting.

From the BDR Group, Mr. Raheel Darmish Shah, Business Development Manager and Board Member, and Mr. Pinkal Yagnik, Head of Business Development, were present.