Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly recently presided over a meeting to assess the progress of various healthcare initiatives under the Ministry of Health and Population. The session included Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, and Ahmed El-Sobky, head of the General Authority for Healthcare, among other key figures. The focal point of the meeting was the review of the "Decent Life" initiative's first phase of healthcare projects. Minister Abdel Ghaffar outlined the progress, noting the establishment and modernization of 1,115 health units and family medicine centres across rural districts in select provinces. The phase also encompasses the development of 367 ambulance stations and 23 hospitals, all aligned with the Comprehensive Health Insurance System's standards, and boasting significant advancement in their implementation. Additionally, the minister highlighted the current status of furnishing and equipping the newly established or renovated units, centres, and hospitals with the necessary medical and ancillary equipment. The discussion also turned to the Universal Health Insurance System's second phase, which is set to encompass five governorates—Damietta, Matrouh, Kafr El-Sheikh, North Sinai, and Minya—serving a combined population of 12 million. Minister Abdel Ghaffar provided insights into the healthcare infrastructure's readiness to deliver medical services under the Universal Health Insurance System's second phase. He detailed the proposed enhancements for the facilities earmarked for the second phase of the "Decent Life" initiative. Moreover, the minister presented a comprehensive action plan for the second phase of the Comprehensive Health Insurance System, covering the targeted demographics, family requirements, medical facilities, and the scope of projects needed for new constructions, upgrades, or to meet accreditation and digital transformation criteria. Abdel Ghaffar reiterated the strategic vision behind the Universal Health Insurance System's project implementations, which aims to streamline access to family medicine centres and hospitals, establish service standards for each health unit, and ensure the infrastructural and informational preparedness of hospitals in each governorate as per established benchmarks. In light of these discussions, the Prime Minister underscored the urgency of integrating additional governorates into the Comprehensive Health Insurance System, adhering to President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's directives to expedite this process.
