Dr. Ali El-Ghamrawy, Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA), conducted a field visit to the “ Esaf El Giza Pharmacy ” to review the implementation of the first phase of the drug tracking system. This system represents the national digital framework for tracking pharmaceutical products from production to patient delivery, as part of the state's efforts to enhance security and fully implement digital processes.

He was accompanied during the visit by Dr. Tamer El-Husseini, Vice Chairman of the EDA; Eng. Basel Mubarak, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DAF; Dr. Walid Saada, Chief Supply Officer of the Egyptian Company for Pharmaceutical Trade, representing the company's Chairman; and several EDA officials.

This visit comes as part of Egypt's comprehensive plan to enhance the safety and quality of medicines, ensure that every citizen has access to safe and high-quality pharmaceutical products, combat commercial fraud, and address the problem of counterfeit or expired medicines, thereby strengthening confidence in the Egyptian pharmaceutical system.

During the visit, a practical demonstration of the system's implementation was presented at a pharmacy, serving as a real-world example of how each medicine package is tracked through a unique serial number. This system enhances transparency and effective oversight of the pharmaceutical supply chain and contributes to stricter control over the distribution of pharmaceutical products in the Egyptian market.

This step represents the first phase of implementing the system nationwide. The system was initially applied to imported Class I controlled substances (narcotics) due to their special regulatory nature and the importance of monitoring their distribution. Applying the system to this category will ensure their equitable and organized availability throughout the country via emergency pharmacies, rather than limiting their availability to the Greater Cairo area.

The system will be gradually applied to other imported pharmaceutical products according to a phased implementation plan aimed at achieving comprehensive coverage of all products circulating in the Egyptian market.

During the visit, Dr. Ali Al-Ghamrawi affirmed that digital drug tracking has become a strategic element in the state's plan to develop the healthcare sector. He emphasized that Egypt is adopting global best practices in drug tracking to ensure public safety and enhance the efficiency of the drug control system.

Al-Ghamrawi also noted that the authority is working with all stakeholders in the pharmaceutical market to ensure coordinated roles and the system's readiness for full and effective nationwide implementation.

The visit program included a presentation of an introductory video explaining the mechanisms of the drug tracking system and its role in controlling drug supplies, a practical application of the system within the pharmacy, as well as extensive discussions with pharmacists and the technical support team about the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing the system on the ground, focusing on a number of key topics, most notably raising the level of readiness of pharmacies to implement the drug tracking system efficiently and effectively, enhancing the awareness of pharmacists and workers in the pharmaceutical sector of the importance of tracking every drug package, and supporting the drug monitoring system in an integrated way to ensure that safe and effective medicine reaches every patient.

The visit concluded with an introductory tour inside the pharmacy, in a step that confirms the Egyptian General Authority for Medicines’ commitment to implementing the latest digital solutions to enhance drug safety and combat drug fraud, and to consolidate Egypt’s position as a regional model in the digital transformation of the pharmaceutical sector, while emphasizing that the system is being implemented according to a clear phased plan that begins with imported Schedule I preparations (narcotic substances), which reflects the seriousness of the implementation and the commitment to the full application of the system at the national level.