At the United Nations headquarters, Egyptian Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar opened a high‑level dialogue on pandemic preparedness by recalling a crowded clinic in Cairo where routine vaccinations were halted during the COVID‑19 surge.
Speaking to delegates from the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Spain and representatives of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Abdel Ghaffar said the pandemic showed that health threats are persistent, interconnected and unpredictable. He argued that a health system’s strength should be judged not only by its ability to detect and contain an outbreak, but also by its capacity to keep essential services running.
He listed services that must continue during crises: vaccination programmes, maternal and child health, treatment of non‑communicable diseases, mental health care, cancer treatment and palliative care. He also stressed protecting health workers and maintaining supply chains.
Abdel Ghaffar urged sustained investment in primary health care, disease surveillance, immunisation, workforce development, infrastructure and community engagement. He called for international talks to move from lessons learned to concrete actions and to shift from fragmented efforts to genuine solidarity.