Prof. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, Prof. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Prof. Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, Advisor to the President of the Republic for Health and Prevention Affairs, Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University, and Dr. Hesham El-Metwally State, Chairman of the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, witnessed the opening ceremony of a number of new projects at Ain Shams University Hospitals at a cost of nearly 405 million pounds, represented by the opening of the free incubator at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital at a cost of 138 million pounds, the Children's Emergency and Blood and Chemotherapy Center at a cost of 187 million pounds, the Colon, Rectum and Anus Unit (Department 6 Surgery), at a cost of 40 million pounds, in addition to developing Department 3 Orthopedics at a cost of 40 million pounds.

The ceremony also included the launch of TRICAFTA, a new treatment for cystic fibrosis patients that is being offered for the first time in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in addition to signing a cooperation protocol between the Faculty of Medicine at Ain Shams University and the Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University in the field of liver transplantation from living donors, in the presence of Prof. Ghada Farouk, Vice President of Ain Shams University, Prof. Ali Al-Anwar, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ain Shams University Hospitals, Prof. Ihab Al-Beblawy, Vice President of Zagazig University, Prof. Ahmed Al-Anani, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University, Prof. Tarek Youssef, Executive Director of Ain Shams University Hospitals, Prof. Mahmoud El-Meteini, Professor of General Surgery and former President of Ain Shams University, Mr. Mohamed Al-Atrabi, CEO of the National Bank of Egypt, Mr. Hesham Okasha, CEO of Banque Misr, and a group of public figures, hospital directors and department heads.

During his speech, Prof. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar expressed his thanks and appreciation to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his continuous support for the development of the health system, stressing his commitment to overcoming obstacles and challenges to achieve Egypt's development vision and provide a decent life for citizens. He also praised the launch of the drug " Trikafta ", which represents a proactive step to alleviate the burden on cystic fibrosis patients, and the development of Ain Shams University Hospitals, especially the free incubator unit that provides its services to thousands of children annually.

In a related context, the Minister pointed out that the Medical City at Ain Shams University, which includes 9 hospitals and 6 specialized centers, is a model to be emulated in integrating medical education with health services, stressing that this achievement is an important step towards achieving the goals of sustainable development, calling for broader cooperation between the state and civil society to expand the scope of health services and enhance awareness of patients' rights.

He also renewed his call to all workers in the medical sector to invest in these new capabilities to provide the best they have, and work to develop their skills and knowledge in line with global developments. He also called on all educational institutions and research centers to cooperate with universities and hospitals, to ensure the integration of efforts and achieve the best results in the medical education and continuing training sector.

In his speech, Prof. Ayman Ashour praised the close cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Ministry of Health and Population in upgrading the health system in Egypt, extending his thanks to Prof. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, who delivered 2,800 doses of Trikafta to the Ministry of Higher Education last December, noting that this event represents an important milestone in the path of scientific research in Egypt, and reflects the joint commitment to building a society based on knowledge and innovation.

The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research praised the efforts of researchers from Ain Shams University in discovering the drug Trikafta to treat cystic fibrosis patients, alleviate their pain and make them healthy, productive citizens capable of serving themselves and their country, pointing to the prominent role of Egyptian researchers in studying genetic mutations associated with cystic fibrosis in Egyptian patients, which helped understand the nature of the disease in Egypt. He appreciated the scientific production provided by Egyptian researchers that was registered in international databases, as important research on this genetic disease was published in prestigious scientific journals by Egyptian researchers, and their research succeeded in discovering the genetic mutations prevalent among cystic fibrosis patients in Egypt.

Prof. Ayman Ashour stressed that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research continues its efforts to stimulate scientific research in all disciplines, by enhancing cooperation between universities, research centers, and industry, and providing the necessary funding for national priority research, in addition to developing the research infrastructure and providing the latest technologies needed to accelerate the process of discovery and innovation.

The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research praised the efforts of Ain Shams University in developing its university hospitals and the pioneering medical projects being implemented within the framework of the integrated medical city that includes nine hospitals and six specialized centers, appreciating the support of the political leadership and the contributions of national institutions and the role of civil society in improving the quality of health care in Egyptian university hospitals.

He also appreciated the cooperation between the Faculty of Medicine, at Ain Shams University and the Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University in the field of liver transplantation from living donors, as one of the outcomes of regional alliances between Egyptian universities, which benefits the advancement of the health system and the quality of medical and therapeutic services provided to the Egyptian citizen.

Prof. Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, Advisor to the President of the Republic for Health and Prevention Affairs, confirmed that the Medical City of Ain Shams University is a huge project adopted by His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, which represents a clear addition and a new achievement added to the process of developing health services in Egypt, stressing that His Excellency the President pays great attention to health services and seeks to achieve a major health renaissance in Egypt.

He also stressed the antiquity of the Faculty of Medicine at Ain Shams University and its contributions to establishing most of the medical faculties in a number of Egyptian universities, as its students are spread all over the world, pointing to the role of Ain Shams University Hospitals during the Corona crisis, and converting the university dormitory into an isolation hotel, in addition to operating the first field hospital.

The advisor to the President of the Republic also stressed the great national role of the university hospitals in providing medical services to thousands of patients from various governorates.

In his speech, Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of the University, welcomed the attendees at the inauguration of new projects at Ain Shams University Medical City after developing and modernizing them to keep pace with the latest international standards for serving Egyptian patients, in implementation of the directives of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, to achieve a qualitative leap in the health sector and enhance investment in citizens’ health as a cornerstone for comprehensive development, improving the quality of health services, developing infrastructure and the pharmaceutical industry, and expanding the scope of comprehensive health coverage.

He expressed his happiness that the celebration of Ain Shams University Hospitals by opening a series of new projects coincides with the university's celebration of the diamond jubilee and the 75th anniversary of its establishment, which reflects a long journey of work and achievement.

His Excellency shed light on the university's signing of a strategic partnership with the British University of Exeter to establish the first university campus of the University of Exeter in Africa, in the heart of the international campus of Ain Shams University, appreciating the role of the Ministry of Higher Education in this regard.

The President of Ain Shams University confirmed that despite the ongoing development work to establish the medical city as a comprehensive medical landmark according to the highest international standards for healthcare development in Egypt, the hospitals have never stopped performing their mission to serve Egyptian patients. In 2024 alone, the university hospitals received nearly one million patients (991,357 patients), reflecting the high level of trust that citizens have in these hospitals and their outstanding staff.

Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the continuation of these achievements. From 2015 to 2024, the financial flows for the medical city amounted to 3.0545 billion EGP (three billion and fifty-four million five hundred thousand), which included various resources from the general budget and the university’s own budget.

At the same time, there was significant community support, including financial donations amounting to 3.011012 billion EGP (three billion, eleven million, and twelve thousand) from national banks, civil society organizations, and businessmen. He emphasized that these figures are not just donations but are a sincere expression of everyone's belief in the importance of the medical city as a medical and educational institution that serves millions of citizens with the highest levels of efficiency and quality in providing healthcare services and enhancing public health.

‎The President of the University praised the role of the University’s Engineering Consulting Center, headed by Prof. Yasser Magdy, Director of the Center, and the efforts of Prof. Ibrahim Helal, the project consultant, for their significant contributions to the development projects at the medical city. He also thanked the hospital management and all the teams for their outstanding work, which will positively impact Egypt’s healthcare system. He expressed his gratitude to all those who contributed to these achievements, including national institutions, individuals, and all the staff of the university hospitals who continue to work tirelessly for the service of our beloved cou

Prof. Mohamed Diaa added that in a remarkable addition to the services provided by Ain Shams University and its hospitals, today also marks the launch of the "Trikafta" drug for the first time in the Arab Republic of Egypt, which will be distributed free of charge to patients. This advanced genetic drug for the treatment of cystic fibrosis is a significant step in the field of gene therapy. Trikafta is considered one of the advanced molecular treatments that will have a great positive impact on the lives of patients suffering from this complex genetic disease.

The medication relies on a combination of three drugs that work integrally to improve the function of the protein responsible for ion flow across cells (CFTR), which is defective in cystic fibrosis patients. The drug helps improve breathing, increases the ability to absorb food, and reduces the frequency of lung infections, thereby enhancing the quality of life and prolonging the lives of those suffering from this disease.

The President of Ain Shams University emphasized that the signing of a cooperation protocol between the Faculty of Medicine at Ain Shams University and the Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University in a vital field that represents great hope for many patients, namely liver transplantation from living donors, reflects the values of integration and partnership between higher education institutions in Egypt. It also affirms the role of universities not only in education and scientific research but also in community service and providing innovative solutions to health challenges.

He concluded his speech by stating that what we are witnessing today is the culmination of continuous efforts and a true reflection of Ain Shams University's vision in achieving sustainable development and providing medical services that meet the highest international standards. This reaffirms the university’s leadership and commitment to offering healthcare services at the highest levels of quality and efficiency, renewing the promise to continue the journey and remain a constant source of hope and contribution.

Prof. Ali Al-Anwar, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Chairman of the University Hospitals Board of Directors, confirmed that this day is significant in the journey of the Faculty of Medicine, which serves as a model in education, training, scientific research, and the provision of exceptional medical services. He explained that the vision of Ain Shams University’s medical sector operates on five main axes to achieve sustainable development and community service: these include the development of infrastructure, improving administrative systems in hospitals, increasing the number of beds and effective medical services, hospital automation and digital transformation, as well as the development of specialized medical departments and performing distinguished surgical operations in the university hospitals.

Prof. Tarek Youssef, the Executive Director of the University Hospitals, reviewed the new openings before and after the development. He pointed out that the new openings include the renovation of the free incubator unit at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, which will increase the number of incubators from 24 to 70, allowing the number of children benefiting from this service to rise from 222 to 700 children annually.

This is part of the development of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, which is a center for handling complex and difficult cases that require intensive care are in the following points:

First: The hospital performs more than 13,000 births annually, and in 2024, the number of visits to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital reached approximately 61,515, with 16,214 inpatients. Additionally, 10,673 surgeries were performed.

Second: the development of the Pediatric Emergency Department, Blood Transfusion Center, and Chemotherapy Center took place, with the number of emergency beds and blood transfusion units being doubled to meet the needs of pediatric patients across all specialties. The number of emergency beds was increased from 9 to 25, and the number of blood transfusion units was increased from 12 to 45, thus raising the number of beneficiaries from 36,000 patients to 72,000 patients annually.

Third: a new unit for Colorectal Surgery was established in the 6th Surgical Department, according to the highest quality standards and infection control protocols for healthcare facilities. The unit is equipped with 20 beds that meet quality standards, as well as a patient accommodation unit with 9 rooms, 5 service rooms, an accommodation room for resident doctors, and a meeting room for faculty members.

Fourth: the 3rd Orthopedic Department at Demerdash Hospital has been developed to become a model in healthcare for orthopedic patients. The department now features 15 beds that meet quality standards, 6 double-occupancy rooms, a room with 3 beds, and two rooms for medical supplies and treatment preparation.

During the celebration, Prof. Yasmin Gamal, Director General of the Children’s Hospital, Prof. Terez Bushra, Professor in the Pediatrics Department and Head of the Chest Department at the Children’s Hospital, and Prof. Hanan Ibrahim, Head of the Pediatrics Department, presented an informative session about cystic fibrosis and the new Trikafta genetic drug, which will be provided free of charge at Ain Shams University Hospitals.

Prof. Ali Al-Anwar, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Ain Shams University, and Prof. Ahmed Al-Anani, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University, signed a cooperation protocol aimed at enhancing collaboration between the Faculty of Medicine at Ain Shams University and the Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University. The goal is to provide exceptional medical services to liver disease patients in need of liver transplantation, as well as to train and qualify a new generation of liver transplant surgeons at the Faculty of Medicine and University Hospitals of Zagazig.

The joint collaboration between the Liver Transplant Unit at the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, and the Liver Transplant Unit at the Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, includes the consultation of liver transplant cases and the performance of liver transplant surgeries according to the latest medical standards.