CAIRO, Jan 6 (MENA) - Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli stressed the importance of maximizing the benefit from a project aimed at developing the state-owned El-Esaaf pharmacies to meet citizens' needs of medicines and medical supplies.

Madbouli's remarks came during his meeting on Monday with Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar and Chairman of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, Medical Supply, and the Management of Medical Technology (UPA) Bahaa El Din Zidan, along with Head of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) Ali El Ghamrawy.

The premier highlighted the important role played by pharmacies affiliated to the health ministry and those of teaching hospitals in dealing with any shortage in medicines.

He stated the State is highly interested in boosting the local manufacture of medicines, as it seeks to provide a safe stock of raw materials used to make drug products.

On his part, the health minister reviewed a proposal on the possibility of opening large pharmacies at public hospitals that are frequently visited by citizens, which in turn contributes to ensuring the periodic provision of all medicines, especially those for which there is high demand.

Abdel Ghafar explored the efforts to secure the raw materials required for the local production of medicines, citing a recently-signed cooperation protocol between the Arab Company for Pharmaceutical Raw Materials (Arab API) and the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) to establish a USD 120- million- multi-purpose factory for raw pharmaceutical materials.

For his part, Bahaa El Din Zidan said the State provides medicines that are in shortage across all El-Esaaf pharmacies nationwide.

Spokesman for the Cabinet Mohamed El Homsany said the meeting reviewed a detailed report on the project to develop El-Esaaf pharmacies.

The report proposes the increase of their number to 81, of which 28 are to be operating around the clock to reduce crowding and ease the burden on citizens. The report suggest that 14 pharmacies should be operated on a two-shift system.

The meeting tackled a proposal to launch the mobile app "Belshifa" in the first quarter of 2025 to expand the presence of El-Esaaf pharmacies.

The mobile application allows citizens to easily order medicines online from anywhere and at any time. (MENA)

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