Under the auspices of H.E. Minister of Health
Cairo, Egypt: 9th March 2015
Under the auspices of H.E. Dr. Adel El Adawy, the Egyptian Minister of Health, Dr. Ali Hegazy, Chairman of the National Health Insurance Organization and Merck Pharmaceuticals, Nasr City Health Insurance Hospital organized today the first Annual Neurology Medicine Conference titled "The Current Practices and Future Hopes of Neurology Medicine in Health Insurance". The conference gathered top Egyptian neurologists, featured panel discussions and sessions tackling various issues related to multiple sclerosis (MS) and stroke.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the worldwide prevalence rate of MS is thirty cases per 100,000 inhabitants in people aged 20-40. In Egypt, it's estimated that 20,000 to 40,000 people are suffering from the disease. MS is an inflammatory disease in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. The disease affects the central nervous system and if left untreated results in a wide range of signs and symptoms, including visual disturbance, motor disturbance, limb weakness and incoordination of movement.
Since 1965 when Merck entered the Egyptian market, it has been playing a vital role in providing one of the best medical and health services to Egyptians, stemming from its vast expertise and global resources. Merck’s support for MS is just one example of the company's effort in manufacturing and introducing one of the most effective medications to patients who suffer from the disease. Merck cooperates with a number of top Egyptian universities to establish monitoring units for MS patients, while providing these units with the first ever electronic system to register MS patients on a national level. Stemming from the company's efforts to qualify highly trained physicians and pharmacists, Merck has hosted a large number of training courses to enable early detection and to enhance the quality of healthcare services offered to Egyptian patients.
"Merck is proud to be one of the top global pharmaceutical companies operating in Egypt. We have more than 50 years of celebrated history, dedicatedly serving the local market," said Dr. Emad Greis- the Executive Director of Merck. "At Merck, we believe in the importance of improving the healthcare services offered to Egyptian patients. We are willing to cooperate with all stakeholders to provide excellent treatment options to MS patients, while working in parallel to qualify medical staff in the area of medicine. We are very pleased to be part of today's conference, to showcase the most advanced treatments and medical services for Egyptian MS patients."
(Rebif) Interferon beta 1a Subcutaneous is one of the most effective drugs that are available to treat MS. It is an interferon medication and is offered to MS patients by the National Health Organization. Despite the fact that there is no treatment for full recovery from MS, Rebif decreases the occurrence of episodes and mitigates its effects on the brain, while slowing the disability progression, provided that the disease is detected early.
About Merck:
Merck is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 39,000 employees work in 66 countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to further the success of our customers and to help meet global challenges. Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. Since 1668 our name has stood for innovation, business success and responsible entrepreneurship. The founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this day. Merck Egypt was established in 1965 as one of the few multinational scientific offices in Egypt.
