President El-Sisi Follows up on Efforts to Localize Prosthetics and Assistive Devices

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar. The meeting was also attended by 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 Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, Major General Dr. Bahaa El-Din Zidan; 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 Presidency said the meeting followed-up on efforts to localize the manufacture of prosthetics and assistive devices for the differently-abled people. President El-Sisi directed that an integrated industrial complex for the production of prosthetics and assistive devices be established in cooperation with well-known foreign companies. This aims to support differently-abled citizens and improve their life. The President gave directives to exert further efforts to make state facilities more disability-friendly in accordance with international standards.

The meeting discussed efforts exerted by all relevant bodies to develop a comprehensive vision for the establishment of an integrated industrial complex producing prosthetics and assistive devices in Egypt, in accordance with the latest international technological and medical standards. In this regard, the results of talks with international companies and external field visits to explore the latest capabilities in this field were presented during the meeting. These efforts aim to establish a complex for the production of high-quality components, transfer of technology, localization of industry, and promotion of scientific research and development. The complex is to include a group of factories specialized in the production of the components of prosthetics, splints, wheelchairs, orthopedic shoes, and silicone products, among others.

The President stressed the need to qualify calibers, audit databases, as well as explore opportunities to involve members with expertise from the Egyptian private sector in this field.