Universal Healthcare System to Be Implemented Across Egypt in 10 Years

The timeline for the national implementation of the Universal Health Insurance System (UHIS) - a national healthcare system that would cover all Egyptian citizens - has been shortened to 10 years, down from the initial schedule of 15 years, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Finance.

The six-phase implementation plan began in Port Said in 2018, and has since rolled out gradually across Egypt’s governorates. The UHIS has already been implemented in Luxor and Ismailia, with the lowest-income citizens being prioritized. The rest of the first phase will be implemented in Suez, Aswan and South Sinai by the end of the current fiscal year.

The cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) reported in December 2021 that over five million Egyptian residents had been enrolled in the country's UHIS during the first phase. The Ministry of Finance plans to add an additional 15.3 million people by the end of 2022.

UHIS beneficiaries have the ability to pick where they can receive medical services from  medical spaces under the new insurance system. The system covers more than 3,000 various health services ranging from surgery, to medical analysis, radiological scans, tumor treatments, organ transplants, and prosthetic equipment.

The UHIS system will be supported by a smartphone app, as per the national ‘Digital Egypt Strategy’.