Egypt has officially launched a presidential initiative to support children living with type 1 diabetes as part of its “100 Million Healthy Lives” programme, aiming to improve care through the use of continuous glucose monitoring technology.
Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said around 55,000 children in Egypt, from birth to the age of 18, are living with type 1 diabetes, making it a significant health challenge for affected children and their families.
Speaking at the launch event, Abdel Ghaffar said the initiative provides modern continuous glucose monitoring devices that can eliminate more than 3,650 finger-prick tests per child each year, equivalent to eight to 10 daily tests.
He said the technology would improve children’s quality of life and reduce the physical and psychological burden associated with managing the disease.
The minister added that the programme extends beyond medical devices to include family training, health education and regular follow-up care, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the initiative’s scientific committee.
According to the Health Ministry, preliminary results have shown improvements in health outcomes among participating children.
The ministry said 143 children have been enrolled in the programme so far, including 47 who completed a three-month follow-up period.
Data presented by the ministry showed that emergency room visits fell from 1.11 visits per child per year to 0.08 visits, while hospital admissions declined from 0.70 to 0.08 admissions per child.
Officials said the initiative is expected to expand gradually to cover eight specialised centres across Egypt by the end of 2027.
WHO Representative in Egypt Nima Abid described the programme as an important milestone in supporting children with diabetes, noting that type 1 diabetes requires lifelong care, monitoring and support.
Representatives from Egypt’s central bank and several participating financial institutions also highlighted the importance of partnerships among government agencies, the banking sector and civil society in supporting healthcare initiatives and human development efforts.
