Bayer and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Egypt have announced the expansion of their successful partnership to further support the Ministry of Health and Population’s (MOHP) efforts to improve family planning and reproductive health outcomes in Egypt. Building on the achievements of their initial five-year collaboration , this extension signifies a continued commitment to empowering women and families in underserved communities.

Building on the existing partnership, Bayer’s Global Health Unit will contribute an additional EUR 100,000 in 2025, bringing the total funding to EUR 170,000 and immediately boosting the project’s capacity to address urgent reproductive health needs in underserved Egyptian communities. This enhancement is followed by a strategic three-year partnership extension from 2026 to 2028, supported by a long-term commitment of funds of over EUR 900,000.

The collaboration directly contributes to the “Your Right to Plan” campaign. which is a comprehensive program developed by the Ministry of Health’s Family Planning Sector, in collaboration with UNFPA to provide access to family planning and reproductive health services, raise community awareness and increase demand for family planning services through fixed and mobile clinics.
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“Bayer is deeply committed to supporting women’s health and empowerment through access to family planning” said Uwe Dalichow, Head of Region Eurasia, Middle East and Africa (EMA) in Pharma (PH) Worldwide Market and Cluster Division Head (CDH) for Bayer Pharmaceuticals Middle East and North Africa. “We are proud to expand our partnership with UNFPA to address the unmet need for family planning in Egypt, particularly in underserved communities. By working together, we can help women make informed choices about their reproductive health and improve the well-being of their families.”

“The extension of our partnership with UNFPA is crucial for continuing to drive progress towards ensuring access to quality reproductive health services for all women in Egypt, particularly those in underserved areas” said Hugo Hagen, Vice President, Head of Global Health Unit. “The additional funding by Bayer’s Global Health Unit will allow us to expand reach and deepen impact, empowering women to make informed choices about their reproductive health and contributing to a healthier and more prosperous future for Egypt.”

“At Bayer, we believe access to family planning is a fundamental right. We’re proud to partner with UNFPA to empower women in Egypt with the resources they need to make informed choices about their health and their future, building healthier families and stronger communities” said Frank Strelow, Head of Family Planning at Bayer’s Global Health Unit.

“Access to safe, voluntary family planning is central to achieving gender equality. Through our partnership with Bayer and the Ministry of Health and Population, we aim to reach underserved communities and ensure no one is left behind, paving the way for a world of zero unmet need for family planning” said Yves Sassenrath, UNFPA Representative in Egypt.

According to the Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021, 13.8 percent of married women aged 15-49 years had an unmet need for family planning. Family planning is crucial for improving the quality of life for women and families and enabling sustainable development. This extended partnership will focus on scaling up interventions in Upper Egypt and Frontier Governorates, where disparities in access to quality reproductive health services and family planning persist.

Through this expanded partnership, UNFPA and Bayer aim to:
• Reach 810,000 women with family planning services and information during outreach family planning campaigns
• Ensuring 540,000 women receive modern contraceptive methods by 2028
• Strengthen national and local healthcare systems to ensure the availability of quality reproductive health and family planning services
• Empower women to make informed reproductive choices and access essential counseling

Key activities will include:
• Training healthcare providers on effective counseling techniques and family planning methods
• Strengthening mobile clinic services to deliver comprehensive reproductive health services in remote areas
• Conducting “Your Right to Plan” family planning campaigns in designated governorates
• Raising community awareness through tailored approaches, including public service announcements, clinic screenings, and engagement with religious leaders
• Strengthen national and local healthcare systems to ensure the availability of quality reproductive health and family planning services
• Empower women to make informed reproductive choices and access essential counseling

By leveraging Bayer’s expertise in healthcare and UNFPA’s focus on population dynamics and reproductive rights, the partnership aims to address critical challenges related to family planning and maternal health. The partnership is a step further towards making Bayer’s mission “Health for all, Hunger for none” a reality. It also contributes towards the UNFPA Strategic Plan (2022-2025) and reaching zero unmet need for family planning, thus contributing to UNFPA’s transformative results.

To commemorate Bayer’s support to the program and the strategic partnership, a signage ceremony was held on April 29th at the St. Regis New Capital to further align on the agreement to improve awareness on reproductive health and enable Egyptians to make informed choices on family planning. High-level key stakeholders from the Ministry of Health and Population, Government, Bayer and UNFPA attended the momentous ceremony, marking the extension of the five-year strategic partnership between Bayer and the UNFPA Egypt.

About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2024, the Group employed around 93,000 people and had sales of 46.6 billion euros. R&D expenses amounted to 6.2 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

About UNFPA
UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, with a mission to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. Originally established in 1969, UNFPA works in over 150 countries, partnering with governments, NGOs, and other organizations to end unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal deaths, and gender-based violence and harmful practices including child marriage and female genital mutilation. For more information, go to https://egypt.unfpa.org/en.