800K disabled persons granted health insurance in Egypt

CAIRO – 26 December 2021: Consultant to Minister of Social Solidarity for the Affairs of the Disabled Maha Helaly stated in a TV interview Saturday that health insurance has been offered to 800,000 differently- abled individuals as a first phase.

Helaly noted that the law grants disabled individuals the right to acquire two pensions as well as a tax exemption to parents of disabled children.

In a similar context, the Ministry of Health and Population issued a decree Tuesday subscribing new social segments to the health insurance system.

The new segments are farmers and agricultural workers (their number is 6.5 million); self-employed citizens (1.8 million); taxi and minibus drivers (700,000); fishermen (65,600); and, artists (33,157). That is in addition to 6.2 million working in mines, constructions, and freight transportation.

By adding those 15.5 million citizens, the total number of health insurance beneficiaries rises to 65,930,829, with coverage nationwide becoming 68 percent of the Egyptian population.