02 June 2025
Your Excellency, Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Well being and Inhabitants of Egypt,
Distinguished officers,
Representatives of the Egyptian Vaccine Producers Alliance,
Colleagues and Companions,
On behalf of the World Well being Group, I prolong my warmest congratulations to Egypt for changing into the primary nation within the Japanese Mediterranean Area to realize the regional goal for hepatitis B management, as set by the Regional Committee Decision EM/RC56/R.5 (2009).
This recognition follows a rigorous evaluation led by the impartial Regional Validation Committee (RVC).
Based mostly on strong and verifiable knowledge, the RVC concluded that Egypt has certainly met the regional goal, supported by the next key indicators:
Hepatitis B floor antigen (HBsAg) prevalence amongst kids aged 5 years and older is beneath 1 per cent;
Third-dose hepatitis B vaccine protection maintained at 90 per cent or increased for over a decade;
And start dose protection has exceeded 90 per cent for at the least 5 years.
These achievements are a testomony to your management, sustained funding, and steadfast dedication to public well being.
I commend Your Excellency, the Ministry of Well being and Inhabitants, and the devoted groups driving Egypt’s nationwide immunization and hepatitis management programmes.
Egypt’s success represents not solely a nationwide achievement, however a regional milestone—a robust instance of what’s potential when science, coverage, and public belief align.
By way of your sturdy Expanded Programme on Immunization, you’ve got considerably diminished vaccine-preventable ailments, improved baby survival, and strengthened well being methods—culminating within the elimination of measles and rubella.
WHO stands able to help you in introducing further life-saving vaccines to guard in opposition to rotavirus, human papillomavirus, pneumococcus micro organism, and different lethal pathogens.
Furthermore, the institution of the Egyptian Vaccine Producers Alliance (EVMA) signifies a daring step towards self-reliance, vaccine innovation, and equitable entry. That is essential for sustaining excessive protection and guaranteeing well timed, reasonably priced vaccines for all.
However this success isn’t the top—it’s a starting. With continued dedication, Egypt is well-positioned to maneuver from management to elimination of hepatitis B as a public well being risk.
I urge different nations within the Japanese Mediterranean Area to attract inspiration from Egypt’s journey. With decided management, evidence-based methods, and inclusive partnerships, we are able to obtain comparable milestones.
As soon as once more, congratulations Egypt.
