Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt Klaus Ebermann will sign on Thursday, Dec. 14 an LE 660 million agreement to support the Egyptian government s reform of the health insurance system. This agreement aims to ultimately provide a universal coverage of primary health care to all Egyptians whether in cities or in the countryside. More than 90 percent of health problems are resolved at the level of primary health care.

On occasion of the signature, Ebermann stated: With the signing of this important agreement, the EU once again supports crucial government reforms which will provide high quality social services to the population, and particularly the economically weaker classes.

Through this agreement, the role of the Ministry of Health and Population will be strengthened. It will also provide for the separation of the health provider and the health insurer functions, thus saving financial resources and rationalizing the roles of the different entities in charge of public health.

The EU has been active in the health sector since 1998 within the LE 825 million Health Sector Reform program, which will soon be finished. Among the most notable achievements of this program was the construction of over 100 rural clinics, the purchase of modern equipment and the provision of training to medical staff