Quality healthcare for all citizens is the foundation of any country’s development and prosperity. More than four decades of significant and sustained U.S. investments have modernized Egypt’s health system, dramatically improved maternal and child health, and wiped out diseases that once devastated the population.
Beginning in the 1970s, the Government of Egypt partnered with USAID to implement a systematic approach to improve the health of all Egyptian families. Decreasing the frequency of births, as well as increasing access to timely medical care, reduced maternal mortality rates by 78% and infant deaths by 88%. Massive USAID investments resulted in modernized hospitals and clinics across the country and built the clinical skills of tens of thousands of health workers. Billions of dollars of U.S. support to clean water and sanitation systems also contributed to transforming the health of Egyptians and bringing the child survival rate to 98%. USAID also worked closely with the government to end polio–Egypt’s last case was recorded in 2004–and to control schistosomiasis, a dangerous parasitic disease that had once infected as many as half of rural Egyptians.
Current USAID efforts are helping the Government of Egypt to further increase access to quality voluntary family planning and to mitigate and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CURRENT PROGRAMS
STRENGTHENING EGYPT’S FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM: The Government of Egypt identified population growth as one of its biggest challenges and has committed to strengthening voluntary family planning and reproductive health services. USAID provides support, technical assistance, and training for the Ministry of Health and Population staff to improve the quality of voluntary family planning services and information. USAID also works with private sector partners, such as pharmacists and apparel manufacturers, to provide training on family planning service provision and peer mentoring for factory workers.
Implementing Partner: John Snow, Inc.; Life of Project: December 2017 – December 2024; Total USAID Funding: $33.1 million; Governorates: Aswan, Assiut, Beni Suef, Fayoum, Giza, Luxor, Minya, Qena, Sohag, and in marginalized areas in Cairo and Alexandria.
OSRA - FAMILY PLANNING AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM: Through this new program, USAID continues to build on the strengths of Egypt’s national family planning program while complementing existing approaches to improve the overall health of Egyptian families. Together with the Ministry of Health and Population, USAID helps to increase the uptake and continuation of voluntary, quality family planning services by using digital health technology and seeking greater participation from the private sector. Youth are central to the program and will gain positive knowledge and skills to become productive, healthy adults. USAID engages beneficiaries and communities to challenge inequitable gender norms and harmful practices and showcase those that promote balanced family relationships and gender dynamics.
Implementing Partner: Pathfinder International; Life of Project: August 2022 – August 2027; Total USAID Funding: $39 million; Governorates: 10 governorates to be determined.
SUPPORTING EGYPT’S EFFORTS TO COMBAT COVID-19: USAID is advancing the Egyptian government’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 by strengthening the health system in disease prevention, detection, and response. Through this program, USAID increases the capacity of the health system to adhere to infection prevention and control measures; enhances existing COVID-19 surveillance and response systems at the Ministry of Health and Population’s Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit; and improves COVID-19 case management to include testing and diagnosis, contact tracing, and scaling up laboratories. Recent activities also include mental health and livelihood services, reaching the most affected communities with private and non-governmental (NGO) collaboration.
Implementing Partner: FHI 360; Life of Project: July 2020 – February 2024; Total USAID Funding: $4.7 million; Governorates: Alexandria, Cairo, Giza, Luxor.
SUPPORTING URGENT NEEDS OF EGYPT’S COVID-19 RESPONSE: Through this program, USAID boosts Egypt’s national efforts in response to COVID-19 to prevent and limit its spread in Egypt, reduce rates of morbidity and mortality, and increase vaccination coverage. USAID is helping to get shots in arms by purchasing updated vaccine cold chain equipment as well as providing accurate and reliable COVID-19 vaccine information and training health workers in vaccine delivery, safety, and counseling.
Implementing Partner: World Health Organization; Life of Project: March 2022 - March 2023; Total USAID Funding: $9.050 million; Governorates: Nationwide.
NATIONAL COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM IN EGYPT: USAID is reinforcing Egypt’s national COVID-19 vaccination program through a local partnership to work closely with the Government of Egypt in delivering safe vaccines. This program expands access to vaccinations across the country through temporary and mobile vaccination clinics to reach families in hard-to-reach geographic areas, including those in Hayah Karima villages. USAID activities engage and mobilize community members to help generate trust in COVID-19 vaccines to save more lives.
Implementing Partner: Egyptian Red Crescent; Life of Project: June 2022 - June 2023; Total USAID Funding: $3.3 million; Governorates: Nationwide.
COVID-19 VACCINE ROLL OUT IN EGYPT: USAID supports the Government of Egypt to bolster its national immunization cold chain system in updating equipment and supplies across Egypt. USAID is also supporting social listening digital tools combined with community-based health workers and influencers to create and transmit positive messages about COVID-19 vaccines to remote communities as well as migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. These messages help to dispel rumors and misinformation about vaccines while instilling trust and confidence to get vaccinated.
Implementing Partner: United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF); Life of Project: August 2022 - August 2023; Total USAID Funding: $3.5 million; Governorates: Nationwide.
Mohamed Abdelwahab for USAID
