Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar received on 20 February the Chinese Ambassador to Cairo Liao Liqiang at the Ministry headquarters.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the health projects currently underway between the two sides, the Minister of Health spokesperson Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar said.
The scientific research laboratory for biosafety at BSL-3 level that is being established in Egypt was discussed at length; the Minister hopes it will be completed in the shortest possible delays, the Ministry spokesperson said. The Minister pointed out that once operational, the new biosafety laboratory will facilitate dealing with any future pandemics.
The new BSL-3 laboratory will sit on an area of 5,860 square meters at the VACSERA complex in the satellite city of 6 October; its establishment costs some EGP735 million. The lab which mainly supports research on viruses, epidemics and pandemics will also include production areas for cell culture; virus culture; preparation, production, and quality control, purification, and solutions. With the capacity to produce 200 million vaccine doses annually, the lab is intended to serve as an Arab and regional hub for scientific research.
VACSERA, the Egyptian Company for Production of Vaccines, Sera, and Drugs, is the sole producer of vaccines and sera in Egypt, and is a major blood bank. It is the oldest manufacturer of vaccines in Africa and the Middle East.
BSL-3 laboratories are used to study infectious agents or toxins that may be transmitted through the air and cause potentially lethal infections. Researchers perform all experiments in a biosafety cabinet. BSL-3 laboratories are designed to be easily decontaminated.
During the meeting, the Minister of Health and the Chinese Ambassador also discussed increasing the production lines for vaccines and serums, especially that Egypt has the skilled manpower that could make it a regional hub for vaccine production and distribution. The two sides also discussed establishing and equipping nine eco-friendly health care units, in addition to equipping medical facilities in Egypt with state-of-the-art medical equipment, including CT scans, ultrasounds and cardiac catheters.
Mr Abdel-Ghaffar expressed the Egyptian government’s appreciation to the Republic of China for supporting the health sector in Egypt, stressing the specific interest cited by the political leadership in cooperation with China. The Minister also highlighted Egypt’s keenness on further cooperation with the Chinese especially in fields of research, development and innovation when it comes to antivirals, vaccines and serums. Mr Abdel Ghaffar said he was eager for the Egyptian health sector to benefit from Chinese expertise in the medical industries.
For his part, the Chinese Ambassador praised President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for his efforts in promoting all areas of healthcare in Egypt. He commended Mr Abdel Ghaffar’s contribution in developing the health sector. Mr Liqiang especially expressed his gratitude for Egypt and its leadership for extending all means of healthcare for Chinese students in Egypt, particularly during the Corona pandemic.
Watani International
21 February 2023