Egypt has received more than 21 tonnes of French medical aid to support hospitals treating wounded people evacuated from the Gaza Strip, while Cairo and Paris discussed expanding cooperation on Egypt’s universal health insurance programme, the Ministry of Health and Population said.

Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met with Eléonore Caroit, France’s Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships and French Nationals Abroad, in the presence of French Ambassador Éric Chevallier, to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector.

According to the ministry, the meeting reviewed the delivery of medical supplies and essential medicines provided by France to support Egyptian hospitals receiving casualties evacuated from Gaza.

Abdel Ghaffar said Egypt’s healthcare system is operating at full capacity to provide treatment for Palestinians evacuated from Gaza, as well as people arriving from Sudan, describing the effort as part of Egypt’s humanitarian responsibility and its commitment to supporting those affected by regional crises.

The two sides also discussed cooperation with the French Development Agency (AFD) on the second phase of Egypt’s universal health insurance programme, which is set to expand to six additional governorates.

Discussions also covered plans to modernise hospitals in Minya governorate through the introduction of digital health systems, expand training programmes for medical personnel, and strengthen cooperation with leading French healthcare institutions, including the Gustave Roussy cancer institute.

Caroit praised Egypt’s role in responding to regional health emergencies and reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting efforts aimed at alleviating the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

She also commended Egypt’s digital health management and monitoring systems, expressing France’s interest in building on the Egyptian experience through trilateral cooperation programmes that support healthcare development in African countries.

Clémence Vidal, Country Director of the French Development Agency, described Egypt’s universal health insurance reform as one of the agency’s flagship international projects and reaffirmed France’s commitment to providing both technical and financial support for the programme’s second phase.