Updates on Universal Health Insurance in Egypt

CAIRO - 2 October 2019: Executive Director of the Universal Health Insurance System Ahmed al-Sobky stated that 6,000 surgeries have been carried out within the recently introduced system, and that registration locations in Ismailiyah will be announced soon.

The pilot phase was launched in Port Said in July 2019, registering until now 506,000 citizens. The first phase of the system - set to be introduced gradually until 2030 - includes the governorates of Port Said, Ismailiyah, Suez, Luxor, Aswan, and South Sinai.

The official clarified that the introduction of the system in a governorate requires first capacity-building of medical establishments and teams, and the registration of citizens in medical units and centers.

Earlier this week, the pilot phase in Ismailiyah started by registering 400 families and upgrading the medical units and centers.

Officials at the Universal Health Insurance Authority told Egypt Today in September that the system will be introduced in Ismailiyah governorate as a pilot phase starting January 2020.

The number of hospitals set to be part of the system is seven, while the numberof medical units has not been decided yet. The officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said that 16 medical units and centers are being developed and equipped to start operation within the new system at the designated date.

The Ministry of Health and Population has developed AbouKhalifa Hospital at a budget of LE273 million, and is finalizing the renovation works in Ismailiyah General Hospital at a cost of LE316 million.

The ministry is also modernizing Al-Qasasin Central Hospital and Al-Tal Al-Kabir Fever Hospital. The latter is being revamped to specialize in the treatment of digestive and liver diseases at a budget of LE529 million.

AbouKhalifa Hospital is partially operating as a number of surgeries was carried out there. The hospital serves the residents of Suez Canal governorates and North Sinai. It was open prior to AFCON 2019 - held in June - to receive possible emergency cases when matches in Ismailiyah and Suez took place.

The capacity of the hospital is 111 beds, including 13 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It consists of five operating theaters, an emergency room, four labs, a CT scan unit, two X-ray devices, three sonar devices, a blood bank, a hostel facility, and an auditorium for conferences and lectures.

The Universal Health Insurance was first introduced in the country as a pilot phase in Port Said governorate in July through seven hospitals and 11 healthcare units.