President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi met in Washington with Seham Nassar, the Egyptian expat residing in New York, who was earlier honored as one of Egypt’s ideal mothers.
Nassar expressed appreciation for Sisi’s efforts in combating Hepatitis C through a national initiative.
The meeting came upon Nassar’s request, according to media reports, as President Sisi has paid an official visit to Washington upon Donald Trump’s invitation in light of critical time and the several regional developments that have been taking place.
Nassar said that she only decided to travel to the U.S. when she found that she had hepatitis C, asserting that the blood-borne disease’s treatment was not provided in Egypt at the time. However, when she reached the U.S. she discovered that she also has liver cancer.
Egypt has launched a screening campaign for Hepatitis C, reportedly the first of its kind, to screen millions of citizens and treat those who test positive for the blood-borne disease for free. The campaign aims to eliminate Hepatitis C by 2020.
Moreover, Sisi announced during the Arab and African Youth Forum held in Aswan in March a new initiative to eliminate Hepatitis C among 1 million African citizens. The initiative also includes refugees residing in Egypt, according to Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli.
Egypt Today
