Robot nurses arrive at Sharm El Sheikh hospital ahead of Cop27

For the first time in Egypt, a hospital in the coastal city of Sharm El Sheikh has been equipped with robotic nursing units to treat patients at a distance.

The robots have been supplied as part of an extensive update to the Sharm El Sheikh International Hospital as the city prepares to host Cop27, the United Nations climate change summit, according to an Egyptian Cabinet statement.

In addition to treating patients with infectious diseases at a distance to minimise contact, the robots can also disinfect the insides of the hospital and transfer test samples to and from the hospital’s laboratory.

Sharm El Sheikh’s medical facilities were inspected this week by the city’s governor, General Khaled Fouda, who was joined by Ahmed El Sobky, chairman of Egypt's General Authority for Healthcare and a World Health Organisation representative to ensure that they are all set for the foreign delegations expected to attend the conference.

The Cabinet statement confirmed that all is in order and that the city’s largest hospital is prepared to provide medical care to any Cop27 attendees who might need it.

Sharm El Sheikh has undergone significant development in the last three months to prepare it for the conference.

Cop27 takes place from Sunday, November 6 to Friday, November 18 at Sharm El Sheikh’s International Convention Centre.

Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?

The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.

The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.

He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.

He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.

He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.