Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population has announced the successful completion of 2,606,736 surgeries under its initiative to eliminate waiting lists and prevent further backlogs in critical surgical procedures. The initiative, launched in July 2018, aims to provide timely medical interventions for patients in need. Ministry Spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar stated that the ministry has received 260,033 calls from patients on waiting lists through the initiative's designated hotline since its inception. From July 2023 to February 2024, the ministry followed up on 220,452 cases, ensuring patients received necessary treatments without delay. Abdel Ghaffar highlighted that the initiative covers a range of critical surgeries, including cardiac procedures, orthopedic surgeries, ophthalmology, oncology, brain and nerve surgeries, catheterization, kidney and liver transplants, cochlear implants, and peripheral catheterization. Patients are centrally assigned to participating hospitals to guarantee swift access to medical care. He also emphasized that all services under the initiative are completely free, with patients bearing no financial burden. The program is designed to alleviate suffering and ensure high-quality, urgent medical procedures are performed as quickly as possible. Ahmed Mustafa, Advisor to the Minister of Health and Population for the Initiative to End Waiting Lists and Head of the Health Insurance Authority, reiterated the ministry's commitment to enhancing hospital performance. He noted that continuous training of medical staff, equipping hospitals with modern medical supplies and technology, and improving the initiative's automated follow-up system have been key to its success. Mustafa further explained that the initiative has enabled the activation of a unified electronic system, linking entities responsible for issuing treatment decisions—whether through state funding or health insurance—based on hospital capacity. This system also facilitates seamless patient transfers between healthcare providers, ensuring optimal use of medical resources and reducing waiting times.
