Egyptian health centers in Africa: Bridges for medical cooperation and development

Written by: Mohammed Omran

Egypt continues to strengthen its role in African continent By establishing and operating a number of hospitals and medical centers, within a strategy aimed at supporting the health infrastructure, transferring medical expertise, and building long-term development partnerships with African countries.

In recent years, Egyptian health centers in Africa have become one of the most important tools of the Egyptian state’s soft power, as they represent bridges for medical cooperation and sustainable development within the continent, through the transfer of medical expertise, the provision of treatment services, and the support of health systems in African countries.

These efforts are part of an Egyptian policy aimed at strengthening partnerships with African countries, especially in the health sector, which is one of the sectors most in need of development. The Egyptian Agency for Partnership for Development plays a pivotal role in implementing this strategy by sending Egyptian medical missions to countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and a number of Nile Basin countries, where these missions perform delicate surgical operations and train local medical personnel on the latest treatment protocols.

The Egyptian role was not limited to medical convoys only, but extended to participation in building continental health platforms such as the “Africa Health ExCon” conference and exhibition, which is one of the largest health events on the continent, and brings together experts, companies and medical institutions from various African and international countries with the aim of exchanging experiences and promoting investment in the health sector.

These centers and activities contribute to strengthening the concept of health diplomacy, transforming medical services into a tool for bringing people together, not just a means of treatment. These efforts also support improving the quality of healthcare in Africa through training, medical technology transfer, and support for local hospitals.

Egypt is expanding its healthcare presence in Africa through hospitals and medical centers in several countries.

In this context, Egypt has become a key player in supporting African health security, through a model that combines immediate medical relief, capacity building, and long-term institutional cooperation, making Egyptian health centers in Africa a practical model for continental development and integration.

In Uganda, Egypt established the Egyptian Medical Center in Jinja, which is one of the most prominent health projects in East Africa. It provides various medical services, including specialized clinics, diagnosis and treatment, in addition to training local medical personnel, which contributes to raising the efficiency of the Ugandan health system.

In Gambia, the Egyptian Medical Center was established and operated in the capital, Banjul, as one of the most important Egyptian health projects in West Africa. It aims to provide integrated treatment services within the country and reduce the need to travel abroad for treatment, while supporting local health capabilities through advanced medical personnel and equipment.

In South Sudan, Egyptian efforts included the establishment and support of a number of health centers and units, especially in the capital Juba, in addition to sending medical convoys and implementing training programs for medical staff, which contributes to supporting primary health care in a country suffering from a severe shortage of medical services.

In addition to these countries, Egyptian projects extend to a number of other African countries, where Egypt has contributed to the establishment and development of hospitals and medical centers or supported their operation in countries such as Chad, Niger, Somalia, and Djibouti, through direct health cooperation programs, the development of medical units, the dispatch of Egyptian medical teams, as well as training local personnel and raising the efficiency of existing hospitals.

In Chad and Niger, Egyptian efforts focused on supporting health facilities and developing medical infrastructure, while Somalia and Djibouti witnessed extensive medical cooperation that included operating hospitals and specialized centers, and providing technical and training support to the health sector.

This expansion in the African continent reflects a shift in the Egyptian role from traditional support to building health projects on the ground, based on establishing and operating medical institutions, rather than just providing aid, which enhances the sustainability of health services.

These projects confirm that Egypt adopts a strategic vision to promote African integration in the field of health, through the establishment of medical centers, the transfer of expertise, and the training of personnel, which contributes to improving the quality of health services in a number of African countries.