Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Egypt's Minister of Health and Population, has announced the ambitious goal of the comprehensive health coverage project: to provide healthcare services to all citizens, fulfilling the long-held dream of universal health insurance. During the "Achievements and Lessons Learned" conference, Abdel Ghaffar highlighted the Ministry's swift and extensive plan to bolster the health system. This includes backing emerging entities with expertise, resources, and well-trained personnel. The minister urged the private sector to invest in health care, fostering competition among providers to enhance service quality. This initiative aims to empower patients with the freedom to choose their health service facilities. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, spokesperson for the Ministry, reiterated the minister's endorsement of numerous health facilities across both public and private sectors. He advocated for private sector and civil society participation in the comprehensive health insurance system. The first phase's review has set the stage for subsequent phases, leveraging scientific and practical insights to overcome challenges and replicate successes. The dynamic workflow, procedural complexity, and insights from the initial phase are propelling efforts to coordinate the launch of the second phase. This next step will encompass various governorates, differing in size and population. Nevin Al-Kabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity, confirmed a 2022 cooperation protocol with the General Authority for Comprehensive Health Insurance. This agreement aims to extend social protection to those in need. Al-Kabbaj emphasized the Ministry of Social Solidarity's holistic strategy to support vulnerable populations. The ministry is dedicated to ensuring a broad spectrum of rights, including health insurance, housing security, food access, educational equality, and insurance coverage.
