Egypt highlights LE118.3 B investment in human, social development

CAIRO - 14 November 2024: Egypt's Minister of Health, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, announced that the Egyptian government has invested approximately LE118.3 billion in human and social development initiatives for 2024-2025. Speaking at a seminar hosted by the Mostaqbal Watan Party, Abdel Ghaffar discussed the advancements in Egypt’s healthcare system, including the Universal Health Insurance program and the extensive modernization efforts over the past decade.

According to the minister, the country has doubled its healthcare budget in recent years, directing funds toward hospital infrastructure and healthcare facilities nationwide. Total investments in the health sector from 2014 to 2024 reached LE 1 trillion, with the Universal Health Insurance Authority receiving an additional LE 240.5 billion. Phase one of the comprehensive health insurance initiative was implemented with a budget of LE 51.2 billion , with preparations underway for phase two, involving several governorates at an estimated cost of LE 120 billion.

The Minister highlighted the success of presidential initiatives aimed at public health, which provided over 170 million healthcare services to around 94 million Egyptians. Among these, the newborn hearing screening covered over 6.8 million cases, while the Women’s Health Initiative has seen over 52 million visits since 2019. Additionally, Egypt has undertaken numerous infrastructure projects, with 1,219 healthcare facilities either completed or in progress, including several major hospitals and medical centers across the country.

Egypt’s health initiatives also emphasize addressing population growth and promoting family planning. Through the “Golden Thousand Days” program, 15 million families received counseling services, supported by 1,500 consultation rooms throughout Egypt. Efforts to raise awareness of child rights and spacing between births are ongoing through local campaigns and the National Population Council’s efforts across all governorates.

The Ministry's “A New Start for Building Human Potential” program, part of a broader initiative in human development, focuses on delivering integrated services in health, education, and employment. This initiative has already provided over 55 million services, including health clinics, job training, and nutrition support, to all age groups up to 65 years, in cooperation with 30 partner organizations and over 9,800 representatives nationwide.

Vice Prime Minister Abdel Ghaffar emphasized that Egypt’s human development is not limited to healthcare. The government is committed to investing across various sectors, totaling over LE 10 trillion, with projects in housing, transportation, digital transformation, and energy. The government also prioritizes agriculture, industrial development, and job creation to build a sustainable economy and support social progress.

Ahmed Abdel Jawad, Vice President of the Mostaqbal Watan Party, expressed the party’s commitment to supporting the government’s agenda by informing the public of these initiatives and facilitating dialogue between state institutions and citizens. He praised the Ministry of Health for its efforts in expanding healthcare facilities and initiatives that combat and prevent diseases, highlighting Egypt’s successful elimination of Hepatitis C and the impactful “100 Million Health” initiative.