Egypt's Universal Health Insurance Authority (UHIA) is in "ongoing discussions" with the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) to strengthen partnerships with private healthcare providers, UHIA chief executive Mai Farid said Tuesday. The talks focus on cost studies, fair pricing, and partnership models in hospital infrastructure, diagnostics and pharmaceutical supply chains, Farid said on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama. She added that greater private sector involvement is critical to meeting rising healthcare demand driven by population growth and longer life expectancy. Partnerships, she said, will help expand services in underserved areas, enhance quality, foster innovation in primary care and support financial sustainability through joint investments. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: Y.Yasser