Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar discussed with his Indonesian counterpart, Budi Sadikin, ways to draw on Indonesia’s experience in health project financing and the pooled procurement of medical equipment, as the two countries explored broader cooperation in hospital infrastructure, medical technology, oncology and workforce training.
The talks were held at the headquarters of Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population in the New Administrative Capital, where the two sides discussed expanding cooperation to develop their health systems and exchange technical expertise.
According to the ministry, the meeting covered the modernisation of medical equipment and the use of pooled procurement mechanisms to reduce costs, improve resource efficiency and expand access to diagnostic and treatment services.
The Indonesian minister outlined his country’s experience in mobilising financing, grants and concessional loans to accelerate health-sector development projects. Both sides discussed how similar approaches could inform health financing in Egypt.
The meeting also addressed the importance of training medical personnel alongside the introduction of advanced equipment and technologies, ensuring that specialised staff are available to operate and maintain them effectively.
The two ministers discussed cooperation in cancer care, with the Indonesian side expressing interest in Egypt’s experience in developing oncology services and exchanging expertise in the field.
Talks also covered potential joint efforts to support health systems in African countries through technical cooperation and international financing mechanisms designed to accelerate health infrastructure projects and expand access to essential and specialised medical services.
Indonesia expressed readiness to share its experience in health project financing and explore cooperation with international financial institutions on projects in Egypt and Africa.
The discussions also addressed what the ministry described as strengthening health sovereignty through research and development, expanding domestic production of medical products and improving access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies, particularly during health emergencies and pandemics.
The two sides agreed to maintain coordination between their health ministries and expand cooperation. However, the statement did not announce specific projects, financing commitments or implementation timelines.