The Salima Initiative: A National Breakthrough for Women’s Health in Egypt

Women’s health is the cornerstone of a thriving society. In line with Egypt’s Vision 2030, the Salima Initiative has emerged as a national commitment to providing every woman in Egypt with access to preventive healthcare, early disease detection, and free treatment.
Egypt Vision 2030: https://www.vision2030.gov.eg

The Reality of Women’s Health Challenges in Egypt

Breast cancer remains a global challenge, but in Egypt, the stakes are high. It accounts for approximately 36% of all new cancer cases among Egyptian women.
WHO – GLOBOCAN Egypt Fact Sheet: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/818-egypt-fact-sheets.pdf

While early detection can save lives, many women in rural or underserved areas previously faced barriers to accessing screenings. Early diagnosis can raise survival rates to over 90%.
WHO – Breast Cancer Early Detection: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer

The Salima Initiative was launched to bridge this gap, ensuring that geographical or financial constraints no longer stand in the way of life-saving medical care.
Egyptian Ministry of Health – Women’s Health Initiative: https://www.mohp.gov.eg

Massive Impact: 70 Million Women Reached

The scale of the national screening campaign is unprecedented. To date, more than 70 million women have been examined for early tumors and general health evaluations.
(State Information Service – Egypt: https://www.sis.gov.eg

This massive operation is supported by a robust healthcare infrastructure:
• 3,663 Primary Healthcare Units across all governorates
• 102 Specialized Hospitals nationwide
MOHP Annual Reports: https://www.mohp.gov.eg

Comprehensive Services: Including free mammograms, breast cancer screenings, and checks for non-communicable diseases.
WHO – Integrated NCD Screening: https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases

Cervical Cancer: Prevention is the Best Cure

Beyond breast cancer, the Salima Initiative is tackling cervical cancer, which is one of the top four cancers affecting women globally.
WHO – Cervical Cancer Fact Sheet: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cervical-cancer

In Egypt, the focus is on raising awareness for women aged 15–44. Screening and prevention can reduce cervical cancer mortality by up to 90%.
WHO Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-CCU-20.01

Why the Salima Initiative is a Global Model

This initiative doesn’t just provide medical checks; it aligns with Sustainable Development Goals SDG 3 & SDG 5 by:
UN SDGs: https://sdgs.un.org/goals

1. Ensuring Health Equity: Providing free, high-quality treatment according to international protocols.
2. Economic Empowerment: A healthy female workforce directly supports national economic growth.
   World Bank – Women & Economic Development: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/gender
3. National Awareness: Shifting from late treatment to prevention and early engagement.
   (WHO – Prevention First Approach: https://www.who.int)