Following the signed agreement between the Government of Canada and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support Egypt’s efforts to fight COVID-19; H.E. Ambassador of Canada to Egypt, Louis Dumas and UNDP Egypt Resident Representative a. i., Mr. Sylvain Merlen visited the Abassya Chest Hospital CT Scanning Unit with the attendance of Dr. Mohamed Eid, Abassya Hospital Manager and representatives from the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

The new CT Scanning Unit was equipped with the latest CT scanning equipment funded by the Government of Canada through the activities of the “Support to Egypt for COVID-19 Screening and Testing Capacity” project, implemented by UNDP Egypt in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Population. The agreement signed between UNDP and the Government of Canada is worth CAD 500,000 (approx. USD 360,000) to support the screening and testing capacity in Egypt and limit the Impacts of COVID-19.

This high-end 16-slice CT scanner was delivered, installed and has been fully operational at Abassya Chest Hospital since May 2021 – a major facility for COVID-19 screening, testing and treatment in Cairo. The CT Scanner has so far diagnosed and benefitted more than 3,500 COVID-19 patients. Canada’s generous grant has also led to the training of nearly 15 health care workers - both physicians and technicians – who received comprehensive training on the operation.

“Canada is committed to a robust global effort to end COVID-19 and the devastating health, social and economic effects it has on the most vulnerable, both here in Egypt and around the world. By funding the purchase of a CT scanner and 6, 200 diagnostic tests, we are pleased to have contributed to the capacity of the Abassya Hospital to provide quality medical services to the most vulnerable” said H.E. Ambassador, Louis Dumas, Ambassador of Canada to Egypt.

“We are pleased to partner with the Government of Canada to support Egypt's health system. Canada's generous grant which has enabled the Abassya Hospital to acquire this equipment has come at a critical moment and furthers our efforts to build forward better, faster and effectively respond to the impacts of the pandemic,” said Mr. Sylvain Merlen, UNDP Resident Representative in Egypt a.i. “We will continue to support the country in responding to and recovering from the Coronavirus and build resilience for the future”.

The Abassya Chest Hospital is considered one of the busiest healthcare facilities in Cairo, providing medical services for the poorest and most vulnerable. The new CT scanning unit significantly contributes to improving the health and wellbeing of Egyptians particularly among moderate and severe cases and allows appropriate and effective medical interventions.

For media inquiries, please contact:

UNDP: Fatma Elzahraa Yassin, UNDP Communications Analyst, fatma.yassin@undp.org       

The Embassy of Canada in Egypt: Press and Public Affairs Unit, Asmaa.fereig@international.gc.ca

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