Egypt has increased public spending on health care to about 3% of GDP, according to the state budget for the current fiscal year (FY) 2020/21, issued by the Ministry of Finance.
The increase in public spending on healthcare will be directed along five main pathways, the first of which will see the gradual implementation of Egypt’s comprehensive health insurance system. It will also be expanded to include those unable to access social security pensions.
The second route will see an increase in the allocations for health insurance, medicines and treatment of the needy at the state’s expense. The third pathway will see finance going towards the Public Authority for Health Care, with the fourth pathway to increase the incentives for doctors and nursing staff in the health sector.
Further finance will be provided to automate all 113 of Egypt’s public, university, and health insurance hospitals, which will also see the creation of an electronic health record for all patients.
The Ministry of Finance has also increased the allocations to education to 6% of Egypt’s GDP, which will finance many projects, including a plan to develop pre-university education.
Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait has confirmed that the current FY budget aims to support the country’s economy, and encourage local production to accelerate economic activity. The stimuli provided for by the budget come especially in light of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Further finance has also been pumped into the presidential initiative for model hospitals, as well as other initiatives, including the early detection of hearing impairments in newborns, and the treatment of kidney failure.
Other initiatives include the prevention of mother-foetus cross infection, congenital diseases, protection of children from chronic diseases and the provision of vaccines and other medicines for public health at state expense.
This comes in addition to improving the financial conditions of doctors by raising the allowance for medical professions, rewarding doctors for excellence, alongside the monitoring of all these initiatives with funds of about EGP16.3bn
Maait added that the public budget also monitors the Ministry of Education’s initiatives for the current FY. A total of EGP 1.5bn has been provided to improve the conditions for teaching staff at the kindergarten and primary stages as part of this move.
A similar amount has been provided for the Ministry of Higher Education’s initiative to improve the conditions for teaching staff at all higher education facilities nationwide, including universities and research bodies.
An additional EGP 19bn has been provided to the Ministry of Social Solidarity as part of the budget, to finance Takaful, Karama and Social Security pension programmes, from which 3.4 million families benefit.