A decade ago, Egypt had the highest number of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) cases in the world, according to a September 2022 report by the World Economic Forum. A widespread campaign to treat schistosomiasis-a disease caused by parasitic worms in the second half of the 20th century had unwittingly spread HCV, and by 2015, 10% of people in Egypt between the ages of 15 and 59 had the disease. Fast forward eight years, and today it is on track to be the first country in the world to completely eliminate HCV within its borders.
It has achieved this thanks to a national screening and treatment program launched by the Egyptian government in 2014, which saw government departments, non-profit providers, international organizations such as the WHO and the World Bank, and private players working together to test and treat the population. In particular, local drug manufacturer Pharco Pharmaceuticals played its part by creating and producing affordable and effective direct-acting antivirals. By 2020, Egypt had screened more than 60 million people for HCV and successfully treated over four million.
Pharco is currently working on an African project, "A Billion Lives Matter," in line with the UN SDGs, which aims to test and treat 90% of Hepatitis B and C patients in Africa by 2030. "Approximately 8% of the African population is infected with Hepatitis B and 2% with Hepatitis C," says Sherine Hassan Helmy, CEO of Pharco Pharmaceuticals. "To get a firm grip on your future, you need to rewrite the rules of the game. We want to help humankind by creating new, high-quality products and have them available to the consumer at affordable prices."
Esta historia es de la edición March 2023 de Forbes Middle East - English.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición March 2023 de Forbes Middle East - English.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
WATCHING OUT FOR THE WEALTHY
Faisal Al-Hamad, CEO of Kuwait-based NBK Wealth, has been leading the NBK Group's client-centric businesses under a unified umbrella since 2021. With over $20 billion in assets under management, he's now planning for expansion.
Middle East Forbes THE MIDDLE EAST'S TOP 100 TRAVEL & TOURISM LEADERS 2024
Thanks to their geographical position and historical and cultural richness, Middle East countries are attracting both tourists and investors.
PARTY WITH PURPOSE
New Forbes billionaire Kabir Mulchandani, Founder and Chairman of FIVE Holdings, is building an entertainment ecosystem with a sustainable footprint. Now, he's talking IPO plans.
EMPIRE BUILDING
Hussain Sajwani, Founder and Chairman of the DAMAC Group, has built a property empire and accumulated over $5 billion in wealth since establishing the group in 1982. As he continues to seek out new opportunities, he's also supporting the next generation as they follow in his footsteps.
The Middle East's RICHEST BILLIONAIRES 2024
It's been a banner year for the mega-wealthy. Forbes found an unprecedented 2,781 billionaires around the globe for this year's World's Billionaires list-141 more than in 2023 and 26 more than the previous record, set in 2021.
Riches from Rags
Investors have blown billions of dollars on loss-making luxury clothing resale firms. VINTED, an unlikely startup from Lithuania, finally cracked the code.
The New Goal Standard
JORGE MAS took a risk with a lucrative bet on Lionel Messi and quickly transformed Inter Miami into MLS's second billion-dollar franchise. But now the clock is ticking.
Reasons To Seek Adventure
Whether it’s the exhilaration of free-falling out of the sky or the thrill of being immersed among the shark-filled reefs of the Indian Ocean, adventure enthusiasts are drawn by the allure of life-changing experiences. Here are some reasons why.
THE MIDDLE EAST'S 30 MOST VALUABLE BANKS 2024
MENA’s banking sector has shown resilience over the last year, supported by higher interest rates and oil prices.
INVESTING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr, Cofounders of Egypt-based digital investment platform Thndr, are facing competition from brokerages and investment banks to democratize investing. Having seen exponential growth in four years, they’re now looking at expanding to the U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia.