President El-Sisi Follows-Up on Efforts to Localize the Manufacture of Prosthetics

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Head of the Access to Assistive Technology at the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Chapal Khasnabis; President of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), Dr.Claude Tardif; and WHO Representative in Egypt, Dr Naeema Al-Gasseer. The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly; Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar; Minister of Social Solidarity, Nivine El Kabbaj; Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Mohamed Ayman Ashour; Presidential Advisor for Health and Prevention Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Awad Taj El-Din; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the fund to honor the martyrs, Major General El-Sayed El-Ghaly; Advisor to the Minister of Defense for Medical Education, Major General Dr. Eid Mahmoud; and Deputy Director of the Department of Technical Research and Development of the Armed Forces, Major General Mohamed Ali.

The Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency said the meeting discussed efforts to manufacture of prosthetics and assistive devices.

President El-Sisi directed that further steps be taken to have the manufacturing capacity to produce prosthetics and assistive devices according to internationally approved standards, regardless of the financial costs and economic challenges. This will be achieved through establishing an integrated industrial complex to provide that noble service to people in need, from a human, ethical and religious perspective. The possibility of developing the industrial complex to become a regional hub will be considered, respecting human rights against a background of violence and terrorism the region suffers from.

The meeting reviewed efforts made by relevant state bodies to establish a comprehensive industrial complex for prosthetics and assistive devices in Egypt in accordance with the latest international technological and medical standards and in cooperation with international expertise, including the World Health Organization. This cooperation will, in turn, benefit these local efforts in terms of providing training programs for the manpower taking part in the project, in preparation for international accreditation. The meeting also discussed cooperation with the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) in several aspects, such as manpower, the health system, production factories, technical research, mechanization, and information systems, among others.


The President was also briefed on the current visit of the technical delegation of the World Health Organization and the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics to Egypt. The delegation was informed on the existing capabilities in Egypt in this regard, hospitals, and health-care bodies, particularly Ismailia’s medical complex that has been developed according to the latest international systems as part of the Universal Health Insurance system. The President was also briefed on the field visit of the technical delegation to the Armed Forces Physiotherapy Hospital in Agouza, which provides distinguished rehabilitation services for persons with mobility disabilities. It is worth mentioning that the members of the delegation commended the capabilities currently available in Egypt in this field.