English 
Under the auspices of Professor Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, the Higher Institute of Public Health organized its 11th international conference today, held under the title "Universal Health Coverage and its Relationship to Public Health: A Global and National Perspective". Its activities will last for two days with the participation of more than 15 Arab and foreign countries, with the aim of exchanging international and local experiences on universal health coverage and its relationship to public health and introducing participants to the variables, achievements and difficulties in implementing comprehensive health insurance, and other important health topics.
The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Heba El-Qadi, Dean of the Higher Institute of Public Health and President of the Conference, Dr. Abla El-Alfy, Deputy Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Mohamed Al-Jarallah, former Minister of Health of the sisterly State of Kuwait, Dr. Nima Saeed Abid, Representative of the World Health Organization in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in addition to a number of deans and vice deans of faculties at Alexandria University, a group of experts and specialists from the Higher Institute of Public Health, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Imperial College of England, the Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences, the Middle East Network for Community Health, the Arab Society for Public Health, the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, the Ministry of Social Solidarity, as well as the faculties of medicine at Egyptian universities, the African Centre for Women’s Health, the Military Medical Academy, the Health Insurance Authority, the General Authority for Health Care, the General Authority for Accreditation and Health Control, the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, and other local and international organizations.
In her speech, Dr. Heba El-Qadi stressed that the conference offers a rich program on comprehensive health coverage from all its medical, economic, developmental and social aspects through a group of specialists from the institute, in partnership with international expertise from international and local organizations. El-Qadi pointed out that the conference includes 14 sessions covering topics related to comprehensive health coverage, such as health insurance in Egypt, lessons learned, future prospects, health economics and financing comprehensive health coverage, digital transformation including artificial intelligence and telehealth care, electronic health records, indicators for measuring and applying comprehensive health coverage, modern laboratory technologies and comprehensive health coverage, comprehensive health coverage facilitators, challenges and possible interventions, and comprehensive health coverage for refugee, immigrant and displaced communities. At the end of her speech, she stressed that she hopes that the conference will come out with recommendations that push comprehensive health coverage towards better prospects for citizens' health.
Dr. Abla El-Alfy stressed the need to pay attention to the early upbringing in an individual's life, stressing that the "Golden Thousand Days in a Child's Life" initiative was launched, which provides important services to the mother and foetus so that the upbringing is healthy and sound. She pointed out that this initiative is a term that refers to the first thousand days in a child's life, stressing that attention must be paid to this initiative starting from the presence of the foetus in the mother's womb, natural birth, breastfeeding, and attention to healthy nutrition for the individual to be healthy citizens capable of giving to their country, their families, and society as a whole.
Dr. Nima Saeed Abid stressed that the conference topic is of utmost importance, especially since it discusses comprehensive health coverage, and reflects the shared visions between Egypt and the World Health Organization. He pointed out that he looks forward to the conference recommendations coming out in a way that serves the health service provided to citizens, especially with the Egyptian state launching the comprehensive health coverage system in 2018 to provide distinguished medical services to the Egyptian citizen, that are consistent with the global strategy and goals of sustainable development.
Dr. Ahmed Al-Jarallah stressed the need to pay attention to health economics and introduce this science into the field of health. Al-Jarallah praised the conference topics that cover all aspects of the health system, which are among the most important topics of the hour. He expressed his hope that the conference would come out with recommendations that are in line with the rapid health developments around the world.
