EGYPT MOVES TO END MEDICAL IMPORT RELIANCE WITH NEW DIALYSIS FILTER FACTORY LAUNCHING IN JULY

Egypt to launch a new dialysis filter factory, aimed at meeting 65% of local demand, reducing import reliance, and saving up to EGP 3 billion annually.

Eyghpt Medical import reliance Healthcare industrialization strategy Dialysis filter factory. Healthcare
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi


Egypt is set to launch a state-of-the-art dialysis filter factory this July, drastically slashing its reliance on medical imports and saving billions annually.

The EGP 160 million facility, developed through a partnership between Wadi El Nile Stio and SLS Egypt, will meet 65% of Egypt’s local demand for dialysis filters, a category that was previously 90% import-dependent. With this single move, Egypt expects to save up to EGP 3 billion (approximately $50 million) per year in foreign currency that was previously spent on imported filters.

At a recent press conference, Amr Abdel Razek, Chairperson of Wadi El Nile Stio and SLS Egypt, underscored the project’s strategic value. “This factory is a national milestone. It adheres to the highest international quality benchmarks and is ISO-certified. It will not only boost our medical self-sufficiency but also strengthen Egypt’s overall industrial resilience,” he said.

Although raw materials for production are still being sourced from Germany, the company plans to fully localize the supply chain within a year, positioning Egypt to become both a regional hub for dialysis products and a key exporter of medical supplies.

The factory is just one part of a broader healthcare industrialization strategy. Wadi El Nile Stio and SLS Egypt are also expanding into critical pharmaceutical manufacturing, targeting drugs used in ICU care, anesthesia, respiratory therapy, and cardiology. Already, 40% of these essential medications are being produced locally under World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, with export plans underway to boost foreign currency inflow.

To scale these efforts sustainably, the companies have brought in German experts to train Egyptian technicians and transfer high-level manufacturing expertise. Abdel Razek also revealed plans to roll out 22 new pharmaceutical products, with prices up to 60% lower than imported equivalents, aligning with government goals to make quality medication affordable and accessible.

In partnership with El Nasr Pharmaceutical Chemicals Company, the firms are reviving dormant production lines for anesthetics and building new facilities to modernize the country’s pharmaceutical manufacturing landscape.

The new products, including filters and anesthetics, will be distributed via the Egyptian Unified Procurement Authority. Additionally, a network of maintenance centers for dialysis filters will be set up nationwide, supported by a new department dedicated to dialysis machine servicing.

This landmark project was made possible through agreements signed in June 2023 between El Nasr Pharmaceutical Chemicals Company and Wadi El Nile Stio Life Science, transforming an idle facility into a cornerstone of Egypt’s medical sovereignty.

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