PM urges maximizing benefit from project to develop El-Esaaf pharmacies

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stressed the importance of maximizing the benefit from a project aimed at developing the state-owned al-Esaaf pharmacies to meet citizens’ needs of medicines and medical supplies.

Madbouly’s remarks came during his meeting on Monday with Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar and Chairman of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, Medical Supply, and the Management of Medical Technology (UPA) Bahaa al-Din Zidan, along with Head of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) Ali El Ghamrawy.

The premier highlighted the important role played by pharmacies affiliated to the health ministry and those of teaching hospitals in dealing with any shortage in medicines.

He stated the State is highly interested in boosting the local manufacture of medicines, as it seeks to provide a safe stock of raw materials used to make drug products.

On his part, the health minister reviewed a proposal on the possibility of opening large pharmacies at public hospitals that are frequently visited by citizens, which in turn contributes to ensuring the periodic provision of all medicines, especially those for which there is high demand.

Abdel Ghafar explored the efforts to secure the raw materials required for the local production of medicines, citing a recently-signed cooperation protocol between the Arab Company for Pharmaceutical Raw Materials (Arab API) and the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) to establish a USD 120- million- multi-purpose factory for raw pharmaceutical materials.