Egyptian Prime Minister inspects Nile Medical City, Nasser Institute Hospital Development

CAIRO- 30 November 2024:  Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly visited the construction site of Nile Medical City and the ongoing development of Nasser Institute Hospital, on Saturday.

He was accompanied by Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population; Dr. Ibrahim Saber, Governor of Cairo; Dr. Anwar Ismail, Assistant Minister of Health for National Projects; Dr. Mahmoud Saeed, Director of Nasser Institute Hospital; and Dr. Maha Ibrahim, Head of the Secretariat of Specialized Medical Centers.

During the visit, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to expanding healthcare infrastructure nationwide, with a particular focus on Nasser Institute Hospital for Research and Treatment. The goal is to transform the hospital into the largest medical city in Egypt and the Middle East.

Abdel Ghaffar highlighted the hospital’s appeal to medical professionals due to its scientific and research significance, noting that it serves a large number of patients daily. 

He also stressed the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to ensure the availability of necessary medical supplies and skilled doctors across various specialties.

The Deputy Prime Minister explained that Nasser Institute Hospital, which is set to become Nile Medical City, had not seen any significant development for over 30 years until renovations began in 2015.

He provided detailed statistics on the hospital’s operations, including an annual patient visit total of 2 million. This includes 384,758 visits to 64 outpatient clinics across 28 medical specialties, 72,800 visits to the Oncology Center, and 55,000 patients in the hospital’s inpatient department. 

The hospital also handled 34,104 emergency visits, conducted 21,000 surgeries, and provided over 32,000 chemotherapy sessions. 

Additionally, it offered medical tourism services to 1,620 international patients in 2023.

Abdel Ghaffar also shared that the hospital currently has 434 beds, including 105 beds for intensive and pediatric care, 6 incubators for premature babies, 22 operating rooms, 31 emergency beds, and 50 dialysis machines.

Afterward, the Prime Minister received a detailed update from Dr. Anwar Ismail, Assistant Minister of Health for National Projects, on the progress of Nile Medical City. The construction, which began in 2022, includes a new building, a regional center for organ transplantation, a research and diagnostic radiology center, an airstrip, a river ambulance station, an outpatient clinic building, and a multi-story parking garage. The project is currently 32.1% complete.

Ismail outlined the scope of the project, which involves developing three existing buildings and constructing new ones, including an extension to the main building, a cancer treatment center, and a new outpatient clinic building covering 22,800 square meters. 

He noted that Nile Medical City’s strategic location near key transportation routes and Cairo University makes it well-suited to serve patients from across the region. Additionally, the city is designed to be a smart healthcare facility, ready for integration into Egypt’s comprehensive health insurance system.

Ismail also mentioned that the project utilizes available land efficiently, including an expansion of the surface parking garage with approval from Cairo Governorate.

The Prime Minister then toured the doctors’ residence building and inspected models of the rooms. He also visited the construction of the hospital’s extension building, connected to the original facility by a bridge. 

Ismail provided an update on construction progress: the doctors' residences are nearly complete (99.25% and 99.33% for female and male accommodations, respectively), while other buildings such as the oncology center (11.06% complete) and the future clinic extension (53.6% complete) are progressing steadily.

Ismail reassured that all construction adheres to international standards and has been accredited by the Health Accreditation and Quality Authority, in line with the comprehensive health insurance system. He emphasized that the Nile Medical City project has become a major national undertaking.

Madbouly also toured several wings of Nasser Institute Hospital, including the Palestinian wing, where he visited patient rooms, intensive care units for children and adults, and the cardiac care department.

At the conclusion of his visit, the Prime Minister stressed the significance of this large medical facility in serving patients from across Egypt. He emphasized that Nile Medical City’s strategic location along the Nile Corniche will transform healthcare delivery, contributing to the government's ongoing efforts to improve the quality of medical services for citizens.

Touring new Bulaq Abu El-Ela General Hospital

Madbouly continued his tour of health facilities in Cairo and Giza governorates today, visiting the construction site of the new Bulaq Abu El-Ela General Hospital.

The Prime Minister reviewed the progress of the construction works and received a detailed briefing from Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar. The new hospital will feature 130 beds, including 48 inpatient beds, 62 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, and 20 incubators for premature babies. The hospital will also house 19 dialysis machines, 63 outpatient clinics, and 5 operating rooms.

Abdel Ghaffar further explained that the project will include a specialized medical complex, comprising a medical center with clinics in various specialties, an integrated radiology center, laboratory and analysis facilities, pharmacies, and advanced physical therapy halls, as well as medical equipment exhibitions.

The project consultant provided additional details, explaining that the hospital is being built on a 7,233-square-meter plot. The main building will consist of two basements, a ground floor, and six upper floors. There will be a separate entrance for outpatient clinics. The total area of the project spans 31,000 square meters, with approximately 38% of the work already completed. Efforts are underway to overlap the first and second phases of construction.

At the conclusion of the tour, the Prime Minister directed an increase in the number of hospital floors and the allocation of space for parking. He emphasized the need for the swift completion of the hospital to ensure it serves a large number of citizens. He also underscored the importance of focusing on both the interior and exterior finishes, especially given the hospital’s prime location in the heart of the capital, surrounded by several important facilities.

Additionally, Dr. Madbouly instructed officials to explore the possibility of annexing an adjacent plot of land to further expand the hospital. He proposed compensating the state authority with alternative land to ensure the hospital meets the highest standards and can accommodate the needs of the largest possible number of residents.