Egypt Health Care Authority Welcomes Iraqi Ministry of Health Delegation to Egypt for the 2024 Health Training Program in Preparation for Opening a New Hospital with Support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Chairman of Egypt Health Care Authority: The training program for the Iraqi Ministry of Health delegation included lectures and field visits to Egypt Health Care Authority hospitals to learn how to apply best global practices in quality and patient safety. He states, "Training Iraqi cadres aligns with our vision to make Egypt a regional hub for healthcare and medical innovation."
Chairman of Egypt Health Care Authority: Training the Iraqi delegation is a step towards establishing an integrated healthcare system and transferring the Egyptian experience to Iraq, in line with the directives of the political leadership to provide full support to Arab brothers in building sustainable health systems through knowledge exchange and applying global standards.
CEO of Egypt Health Care Authority: Hands over training certificates to the Iraqi Ministry of Health delegation in Egypt and praises the Iraqi delegation, affirming that transferring Egyptian knowledge and experiences achieves comprehensive and sustainable health development in the Arab region.
The Egypt Health Care Authority received a delegation from the Iraqi Ministry of Health, including several prominent officials who attended a comprehensive training program aimed at enhancing the administrative and healthcare competencies of workers in the Iraqi health sector, in preparation for the opening of a new hospital in Dhi Qar province with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This comes as part of strengthening Arab cooperation and exchanging expertise between health institutions.
The delegation included the Director of Loans at the Iraqi Ministry of Health, the Director of Patient Safety, the Director of Al-Shatra Hospital, as well as heads of medical departments and representatives from JICA Iraq for technical cooperation support.
The Egypt Health Care Authority explained that the training program, which took place throughout October 2024, included a series of lectures and workshops presented by a group of experts and specialists from the Egypt Health Care Authority and representatives from the EH-QIPS project.
The Authority added that the lectures focused on several key topics, including the (5S-KAIZEN) methodology presented by Dr. Marwa Taha, General Director of the General Administration for Quality and Quality Assurance, which addressed the application of Kaizen principles to improve operational efficiency. Medical error management and risk management were also covered by Dr. Mai Aboul Fotouh, General Supervisor of Patient Safety Oversight, who discussed the importance of reporting and analyzing medical errors. The topic of infection prevention and control (IPC) was presented by Dr. Safaa Ahmed, a member of the Infection Control Department, showcasing the latest methods to reduce the spread of infections in hospitals. Dr. Ammar Faraj, a specialist in hospital management, addressed the basic principles of patient safety and ways to improve the work environment to ensure the delivery of safe healthcare.
The Authority indicated that as part of the training program, field visits were organized for the Iraqi delegation to several healthcare facilities affiliated with the Authority, including Al-Nasr Specialized Hospital in Port Said and Ismailia Medical Complex. The delegation had a unique opportunity to learn about the Authority's experience in applying best global practices in quality and patient safety.
The Iraqi delegation members praised the Authority's organizational structure and its ability to build the capacities needed to manage change during a short transitional period since the launch of the Universal Health Insurance system. They also expressed their appreciation for the Authority's efforts in integrating human resources and guiding them towards achieving common strategic goals, which contributed to enhancing their sense of belonging to the work.
In this context, Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, Chairman of the Egypt Health Care Authority and General Supervisor of the Universal Health Insurance Project, stated: "This visit is part of our efforts to enhance Arab health cooperation and exchange expertise, contributing to building healthcare and administrative capacities to support health systems in both Egypt and Iraq. Sharing knowledge and experiences with our brothers in Iraq aligns with our strategic vision for developing the health sector in the Arab region and achieving sustainable development." He emphasized that the success of these training programs reflects the leading role of the Authority in providing an integrated healthcare model that can be utilized regionally and internationally.
At the conclusion of the training program, a session was held to hand over the certificates in the presence of Dr. Amir El-Telwany, CEO of the Egypt Health Care Authority, and Mr. Kato, Chief Representative of JICA Egypt. During the session, the implementation plans for improvement projects that each trainee will apply in Iraq were reviewed, including the implementation of an electronic reporting system (E-OVR), which received high praise from the participants, alongside the electronic medical system and infection control system, which is considered a successful example of applying technology to improve healthcare standards.
Dr. El-Sobky concluded by saying: "We look forward to seeing the impact of these training sessions on the ground in Iraq, contributing to strengthening healthcare systems and raising the quality of services provided. We hope these programs are an important step towards creating long-term partnerships that result in improving the quality of Arab health services."
The participants in the program were honored in recognition of their efforts and commitment to transferring the knowledge and expertise gained to their institutions in Iraq, thereby enhancing sustainable development opportunities in the Iraqi health sector and strengthening health cooperation between Egypt and Iraq to achieve common goals.
