Alaa El-Ghamrawy: We aim to end rheumatic heart disease in Africa through Egyptian expertise.
The initiative originates from the Nile Basin countries and relies on training, scientific research, and medical convoys.
Written by: Mohammed Omran
In a move reflecting Egypt’s orientation towards strengthening health cooperation with African countries, Dr. Alaa El-Ghamrawy, founder of the National Program for Rheumatic Heart Disease, revealed details of the «End Rheumatic Heart Disease in Africa» initiative, stressing that it aims to transfer the successful Egyptian experience in combating the disease to African countries, especially the Nile Basin countries, through building an integrated system based on prevention, early detection, training and scientific research.
Dr. Alaa El-Ghamrawy: We aim to put an end to rheumatic heart disease in Africa by transferring the Egyptian experience.
Al-Ghamrawi said in an exclusive interview with «Zoom Africa News» that the initiative came as a result of the continued suffering of many African countries from high rates of rheumatic heart disease, in addition to the lack of early detection of cases, despite years of cooperation with the African Heart Association and a number of health institutions on the continent.
He explained that the timing of the launch of the initiative coincided with the convening of the «Health Africa» conference and exhibition under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, within the framework of the Egyptian state’s direction to strengthen its role in supporting African health systems and confronting common challenges.
The initiative originates from the Nile Basin countries and relies on training, scientific research, and medical convoys.
He added that the first phase of the initiative targets the Nile Basin countries, with a focus on training medical personnel, conducting joint research, sending medical convoys, and transferring Egyptian expertise that has achieved tangible success in reducing the complications of the disease, stressing that the ultimate goal is to eliminate rheumatic heart disease in Africa through sustainable scientific and medical cooperation between Egypt and African countries.
