During the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 2 February, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly expressed his happiness at the brilliant success of the 2021 Men’s World Handball Championship held in Egypt in 13 – 31 January, under the auspices of President Sisi. Dr Madbouly said the success was especially significant since the championship was held under the COVID-19 pandemic. He extended his thanks and appreciation to the Cabinet ministries involved: the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Civil Aviation; and expressed his gratitude for the role of the Armed Forces and Interior Ministry in securing the championship.
For her part, Health Minister Hala Zayed congratulated Egypt’s President, Prime Minister, and Minister of Youth and Sports for the spectacular success of the championship.
Dr Zayed honoured the ministry staff who were on the commission in charge of applying the health security plan during the championship: Dr Alaa Eid, head of the protective medicine sector at the ministry; Mustafa Ghoneima, head of the treatment medicine sector; Muhammad Gad, head of the Egyptian Ambulance Authority; Nancy Magdy, head of the central laboratories administration; Ibrahim Hassan, head of the central administration for emergency and critical care; and Khaled Megahed, media director and spokesperson for the Health Ministry.
Addressing the honourees, Dr Zayed said: “You have proved yourselves to be up to the enormous responsibility of guaranteeing health and medical security in an international championship under the exceptional conditions of a global pandemic. She thanked the 1000-strong team of medical staff that administered health services to more than 4000 players, administrative staff, and workers until they all went back safely to their homes.
The Health Minister said that Egypt received international recognition for the medical security plan it applied during the handball championship, including a request by Tokyo Olympic Games officials to use it as a guideline.