Newborn Care Pathway Rolled Out Across Egypt

A nationwide Newborn Care Pathway has begun operating across Egypt through an integrated network of primary healthcare units and centres as part of efforts to strengthen maternal and child healthcare services.

The Ministry of Health and Population announced that implementation started on June 1st, 2026, under the broader Lifelong Health Pathway package, which aims to expand primary healthcare and family development services.

According to the ministry, the pathway provides a comprehensive package of preventive and therapeutic services for mothers and newborns during the first month after birth, a period considered critical for monitoring health and identifying potential medical issues at an early stage.

For newborns between three and seven days old, services include a full medical examination, growth assessments covering weight, length and head circumference, hearing screening, and a heel-prick test used to detect genetic diseases and metabolic disorders.

The pathway also includes early jaundice detection and the administration of routine newborn vaccinations, including the zero dose of the polio vaccine, the hepatitis B vaccine and the tuberculosis vaccine.

Services provided to mothers include postnatal follow-up care, breastfeeding support, guidance on recognising warning signs affecting either mother or child, and counselling related to birth spacing.

The programme forms part of directives issued by Minister of Health and Population Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar aimed at strengthening primary healthcare services and supporting family development initiatives.