Boehringer Ingelheim and Roche Diagnostics Sign an Agreement toEnhance Heart Failure Management Across Egypt

كتب : محمود حاحا – بوابة الاقتصاد

• Heart failure is a progressive and potentially life-threatening conditionaffecting over 64 million people worldwide[1]
• In Egypt, the condition poses a growing burden on the healthcare system and patients
• ‘Keep the Beat’ is a partnership agreement that aims tosupport heart failure care in Egypt by developing dedicated clinics, protocols, and focusing on healthcare professional training and patient awareness

: Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, and Roche Diagnostics, a world leader in biotechnology, signed an agreement to enhance heart failure management in Egypt. The memorandum of understanding(MOU) was signed during the prestigiousAfrica Health ExCon medicalconference and exhibition.

The collaborative project comes under the name of ‘Keep the Beat’, which aims to transform heart failure care and patient outcomes in Egypt by supporting the establishment of specialized heart failure clinics in several hospitals across the country.

Heart failure happens when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to the rest of the body. It is a progressive and serious condition affecting over 64 million people worldwide[2]. In the Middle East alone, heart failure affectsover 3.75 million people[3]. In Egypt, the condition poses a growing burden on the healthcare system and patients.

‘Keep the Beat’ is committed to supporting the establishment of dedicated heart failure clinics inthe country byfacilitating the development of clinical protocols, fostering preceptorships in centers of excellence, and boosting nurse education. The project also sets a focus on supporting heart failure diagnosis, raising awareness of the condition, and empowering patients through educational materials.

Commenting on the importance of such partnerships,Marianne Abou Elkheir, General Manager and Head of Human Pharma at Boehringer Ingelheim, LINEA & SSA, said, “An intrinsic part of our work at Boehringer Ingelheim involves partnering for success. Our collaboration with Roche Diagnostics enables us to actively tackle the challenge of heart failure underdiagnosis in Egypt, while also providing necessary support to help manage the condition more effectively. ‘Keep the Beat’ is a tangible example of how we are bringing the pharmaceutical and medical technology fields together to benefit heart failure patients, in line with our purpose of transforming lives for generations.”

Lilian Kanaan, General Manager of Roche Diagnostics shared her reflections on the significance of this partnership in addressing Egypt’s heart failure care needs and said, “We are confident that leveraging our joint expertise in heart failuremanagement, alongside Boehringer Ingelheim, will contribute to better patient outcomes. Safeguarding the health and wellbeing of the communities we are a part of is a deeply embedded value of ‘Keep the Beat’.By instilling international guidelines, bestpractices and diligent protocols and diagnostic processes at heart failure clinics in Egypt, we can support in reducing the burden on the healthcare system and patients alike.”

Prof. Mohamed Sobhy, Professor of Cardiology at Alexandria University said, “Heart failure is a complex condition that requires meticulous care and adherence to the latest medical guidelines to be managed effectively. With heart failure beingaleading cause of hospitalization[4],initiativessuch as ‘Keep the Beat’are essential in building the capacities of healthcare professionalsin line with international guidelines toelevate patient outcomes in Egypt.”

From his side, Prof. Magdy Abdelhamid, Professor of Cardiology at Cairo Universityadded, “The development of heart failure clinics, coupled with patient awareness initiatives, is bound to advance heart failure care in Egypt. Through ‘Keep the Beat’, we have a strong opportunity to work collaboratively, exchange best practices and boost patient wellbeing.”

[1]Heart Failure – World Heart Federation (world-heart-federation.org)

[2]Heart Failure – World Heart Federation (world-heart-federation.org)

[3]Heart Failure in the Middle East Arab Countries: Current and Future Perspectives – PMC (nih.gov)

[4]Recurrent heart failure hospitalizations are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in patients with heart failure in Clinical Practice Research Datalink – PMC (nih.gov)