The Egyptian Cabinet approved several key decisions on Tuesday, including a draft resolution to establish the National Medical Tourism Council. The new council, to be chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development, is tasked with regulating the medical tourism sector and enhancing the quality of associated services, with the ultimate aim of positioning Egypt as a competitive global destination for healthcare tourism. The council will convene at the invitation of its chairperson at least once every three months, or as needed. Should the Prime Minister attend any session, they will preside over the meeting. The chairperson will also submit a quarterly report to the Prime Minister, detailing the council's accomplishments, timelines for ongoing initiatives, challenges encountered, and proposed solutions. The council is granted the authority to issue binding decisions within its scope and will spearhead the development and execution of a national strategy for medical tourism. This includes monitoring and updating the strategy in alignment with international trends. Among its responsibilities are the launch of awareness campaigns, promotion of Egypt's medical tourism offerings, and encouraging private sector participation. It will also set service quality standards based on global benchmarks and collect national data on beneficiaries of medical tourism services to help evaluate Egypt's international standing. The council will formulate unified marketing policies for promoting medical tourism and establish a national electronic platform consolidating relevant data and services. It will ensure equal opportunity between public and private sector providers, streamline beneficiaries' access to services, and address complaints through a structured grievance mechanism. In addition, the Cabinet approved a draft resolution to form a High Committee for the Implementation of the Comprehensive Risk Management System for Goods Clearance. The goal is to unify risk management methodologies and improve inter-agency coordination to facilitate trade. Chaired by a Cabinet representative, the committee will include members from the Ministry of Health and Population; Ministry of Transport (Maritime Transport Sector); Ministry of Defense; Ministry of Interior; Ministry of Environment; Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (Central Administrations of Agricultural and Veterinary Quarantine); Ministry of Finance (Egyptian Customs Authority); Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade (Agreements and Foreign Trade Sector); Ministry of Culture (Central Administration for Censorship of Artistic Works); Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade (Assay and Weights Authority); as well as the National Telecom Regulatory Authority, National Food Safety Authority, General Organization for Export and Import Control, Egyptian Drug Authority, National Media Authority, Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority, and the Atomic Energy Authority. The committee is responsible for defining the strategic framework of the risk management system, reviewing existing legislation, ensuring legal compatibility for enforcement by inspection bodies, and proposing necessary regulatory amendments. It will also coordinate with relevant authorities to implement the system via the Nafeza platform according to a defined timeline, oversee the execution of agreed procedures, and address any challenges or delays in implementation. A monthly report detailing the committee's activities, findings, and recommendations will be submitted to the Prime Minister. Finally, the Cabinet approved the establishment of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at the New Cairo University of Technology, located in Cairo Governorate. The faculty will offer specialized academic programs aligned with international standards, and serve as a foundational pillar for developing a national center for assistive devices catering to people with disabilities and the elderly. The decision also includes renaming the Faculty of Health Sciences Technology, as stated in Prime Ministerial Decree No. 2929 of 2022, to Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, aligning it with international nomenclature and academic standards.
