Cairo: During the fifth Annual Forum organized by The General Healthcare Authority on November 26, 2024, EHA announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between EHA and Roche Diagnostics in Egypt in the field of digital pathology. Additionally, Roche Pharma also contributes to supporting EHA in the field of data governance, which enhances the digital transformation process in Egyptian healthcare institutions. This tripartite partnership is a successful example of effective partnerships between the public and private sectors aiming to support Egypt's Vision 2030 to provide comprehensive healthcare for all citizens.

The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, Chairman of the General Healthcare Authority (EHA), Dr. Amir El-Tilwany, Executive Director of EHA, Dr. Liliane Kanaan, General Manager of Roche Diagnostics in Egypt and North Africa, Engineer Moataz Nassef, Commercial Director of Roche Diagnostics in Egypt and North Africa, and Dr. Ziyad Elahwal, Market Access, Policy and Government Affairs Lead, Roche Pharma Egypt.

As part of this agreement, Roche Diagnostics will support EHA by providing the necessary equipment to transition to digital pathology solutions, enhancing knowledge exchange programs, offering strategic healthcare consultations, developing specialized training programs, and improving the efficiency of medical laboratories.

This agreement reflects a shared vision to achieve significant progress in the quality and efficiency of healthcare services. These initiatives will improve the patient journey, streamline workflows, and facilitate the transfer of patient data among healthcare providers through advanced technology, resulting in faster, more accurate diagnoses and more effective treatment decisions.

Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, Chairman of the General Healthcare Authority, emphasized that signing this agreement is a significant step towards accelerating the adoption of modern technology in the healthcare sector in Egypt, which will positively reflect on the quality of healthcare services provided to citizens. He pointed out that enhancing cooperation with global partners such as Roche Diagnostics and Roche Pharma underscores the Authority’s commitment to achieving excellence in providing healthcare services, and fulfilling the strategic goals of Egypt’s Vision 2030.

El-Sobky added that this tripartite partnership will contribute significantly to developing the digital pathology methodology and enhancing data governance, which supports the EHA’s ability to make accurate health decisions guided by the latest global technology, and enhances Egypt’s position as a leading destination for providing healthcare services on regional and international levels.

Dr. Liliane Kanaan, General Manager of Roche Diagnostics in Egypt and North Africa, stated: "At Roche, we are committed to continuing our contribution to the development of healthcare in all our active markets, particularly Egypt, which has made significant progress in recent years, thanks to the country's prioritization of healthcare issues and the implementation of comprehensive health insurance." She continued, "We are proud of this strategic collaboration in digital pathology solutions, which will contribute to improving the patient journey across all stages of diagnosis and treatment. In this regard, we will continue to find the best ways to integrate our expertise in healthcare and technology."

Roche Diagnostics will supply advanced laboratory equipment tailored to the operational needs of the hospitals under the Authority's management. This will be carried out according to an action plan and timeline that ensure alignment between the EHA’s needs and available resources.

As part of its commitment to innovation, Roche will provide the "Ventana DP 600" slide scanner to support the full digital transformation of the pathology laboratory at the Ismailia Medical Complex. This support aims to enhance the speed and accuracy of diagnoses, enabling better and more effective treatment options for patients.

Regarding knowledge transfer and exchange programs, Roche will lead on initiatives to facilitate the exchange of expertise, including hosting EHA’s staff at its global headquarters and manufacturing sites. Additionally, Roche will arrange field visits to leading hospitals to learn about best practices in healthcare management that could be implemented within the Authority.

Roche will also support the development of training programs aimed at qualifying personnel in the medical laboratory sector, focusing on both fundamental and advanced laboratory techniques. This initiative will contribute to enhancing staff efficiency and ensuring the provision of accurate, timely diagnostic services.

 At the same time, Roche will collaborate with the Authority to design comprehensive programs that focus on improving the efficiency of medical laboratory operations, partnering with specialized companies in accreditation and quality assurance to elevate industry standards. In addition, Roche will provide strategic consultations to the Authority, to optimize the allocation of healthcare resources and enhance overall system efficiency.

The digital pathology technology, which the EHA started to implement at the Ismailia Medical Complex, focuses on enhancing the accuracy and speed of tumor diagnoses, while saving the effort and time required for traditional tumor and tissue analysis.

Among the advanced capabilities offered by Roche through the "Ventana DP 600" device, is its ability to scan up to 240 slides simultaneously, enable instant file transfers, and provide complete digital workflow management, digital archiving, and the use of image analysis algorithms. It can scan a variety of slides, special stains, and cells. As a result, the current workflow, which relies on analyzing samples through a microscope and the naked eye, is being transformed into the use of high-precision digital slide scanners. In addition to the ease of use and the rapid reading and remote analysis of samples, the accuracy of the results significantly contributes to supporting informed medical decision-making.

The agreement represents a significant step towards strengthening the public-private partnership, as Roche and EHA seek to complement Egypt's efforts since the launch of the “Telemedicine” initiative in 2022. This initiative aims to make healthcare services more accessible to citizens through technological solutions and expand access to these services in regions outside Cairo. This collaboration also reflects a shared commitment to providing integrated, innovative, and sustainable healthcare services that meet the needs of patients and the community.

About Roche:

Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a global leader in pharmaceuticals and diagnostic solutions. Today, the company operates in more than 100 countries, including Egypt.

Roche is the world’s largest biotechnology company and strives for scientific excellence in the pharmaceutical industry, focusing on oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology, central nervous system disorders, and the discovery and development of diagnostics such as laboratory and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, with the goal of improving and saving lives worldwide.

Egypt is considered one of the key strategic markets in the Middle East.  According to MedTech Europe’s report, Roche has been recognized as a leader in diagnostics for the fifth consecutive year.

In Africa, Roche aims to increase access to high-quality diagnostic tests by tenfold over the next decade, collaborating with various health entities such as the Ministry of Health and Population to improve the health of Egyptians across all levels. Roche Egypt’s collaboration with Egypt’s presidential initiatives is a cornerstone in achieving the shared vision of equal access to world-class healthcare for patients, regardless of social status, while reducing costs to society.

For more information, please visit www.roche.com.

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