Staff report: CAIRO, July 8, 2018 - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has highlighted the great importance of the new healthcare insurance project, stressing in this connection that the Egyptian people deserve access to such distinctive medical services that make them feel secure about their health and that of their families. The president's statement came during his meeting Sunday with Prime Minister Dr Moustafa Madbouli, Finance Minister Mohamed Maeet, Health Minister Hala Zayed, Communications and Information Technology Minister Omar Talaat, General Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel and Administrative Control Authority Chairman Mohamed Erfan. The meeting was devoted to following up the progress of action to implement the comprehensive health insurance system, a national project that President Sisi called a few days ago for it to be launched, the Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Bassam Radi, said. In his directives during the meeting, President Sisi placed particular emphasis on ensuring that model hospitals nationwide be equipped in accordance with the highest standards and that such hospitals be located in the capital city of each governorate in order to facilitate citizen access to such facilities, Spokesman Radi said. The presidential directives during the meeting also included the implementation of the medical survey and check-up of hepatitis C in the shortest time possible and with the use of the most up-to-date devices as well as the provision of treatment to whoever be found to have contracted the disease, Spokesman Radi said. Young people and children below the age of 18 will undergo the tests and check-ups in schools, the Spokesman added. The president also called for putting an end, within a period of six months, to waiting lists of patients who need surgeries and critical medical interventions, Spokesman Radi said, adding that critical cases will be accorded special consideration. The president ordered that an additional project to improve the work environment for medical crews working in Health Ministry hospitals be incorporated into the package of executive measures under the first stage of the new health insurance project, Ambassador Radi said adding that additional component would be carried out in co-operation with civil society organisations and provincial bodies. The spokesman also said that the meeting included discussions on plans to implement the comprehensive healthcare insurance project. In this regard, the finance minister presented the financial aspect of the project and ways of financing it while the communications and information technology minister highlighted steps to carry out the comprehensive automation system for the project.
