Conference details "The first stage of comprehensive health insurance…achievements achieved and lessons learned"
Dr. confirmed. Ahmed Taha, Chairman of the General Authority for Health Accreditation and Control, said that the absence of a culture of quality, the fragmentation of the health system between several sectors, in addition to the lack of awareness of the importance of the role of basic care centers and units, are the most important challenges facing the implementation of the first phase of comprehensive health insurance, indicating that President Abdullah’s directive Al-Fattah Al-Sisi told all bodies and institutions based on this important national project to make every effort to continue completing the system despite all the major global challenges that faced its implementation during the first steps of this implementation.
Rais added The Health Accreditation and Oversight Authority stated that the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, which lasted for two consecutive years and caused many health systems in the world to collapse, was at the top of these challenges. This was then followed by the global economic crisis caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war, which directly affected medical supply chains. In addition, the Egyptian health system accommodated the noticeable increase in the number of arrivals to Egypt from fellow citizens of neighboring countries that have suffered and are still suffering from the scourge of devastating wars in recent years.
Dr. Ahmed Taha pointed out This conference aims to benefit from the application experience in the governorates of the first phase and analyze the results achieved on the ground, and the challenges faced in this phase, in preparation for beginning to prepare appropriately and harnessing all available capabilities for the effective implementation of the second phase.
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He added that joint action and coordination with the three comprehensive health insurance system bodies: the General Authority for Health Care, the General Authority for Comprehensive Health Insurance, in addition to the Health Accreditation and Control Authority, as well as coordination with success partners from all sectors of service providers
This came during the opening of the conference “The First Phase of Comprehensive Health Insurance: Achievements Made… and Lessons Learned” Which was organized by the General Authority for Health Accreditation and Control in cooperation with the World Bank within the framework of its support project for the comprehensive health insurance system, in the presence of Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, Nevin Al-Qabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Muhammad Awad Taj El-Din, Advisor to the President of the Republic for Health and Prevention Affairs, Dr. Ihab Abu Aish, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Comprehensive Health Insurance, Dr. Ali Al-Ghamrawi, Chairman of the Medicines Authority, Dr. Mohamed Latif, CEO of the Egyptian Health Council, Major General Dr. Khaled Shukri, Head of the Medical Services Department of the Armed Forces, Major General Tariq Al-Najdi, President of the Military Medical Academy, Major General Dr. Saeed Al-Najjar, Assistant Minister of the Interior, Dr. Osama Abdel-Hay, Head of the Medical Syndicate, and Dr. Kawthar Mahmoud, Head of the Nursing Syndicate, Senator, Dr. Nima Abed, WHO Representative in Egypt, and Ayodeji Ajiboye, International Health Economist at the World Bank, Dr. Hani Rashed, Vice President of the General Authority for Health Care, Mai Farid, Executive Director of the General Authority for Comprehensive Health Insurance, and a large number of leaders from all sectors of health service providers in Egypt.
Dr. explained. Ahmed Taha, said that one of the most prominent challenges facing the implementation of the comprehensive health insurance system is the shortage of medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and technicians trained to implement quality, indicating that the Authority was keen to confront it through more than one axis, the most important of which is continuous rehabilitation and training of facilities to apply these standards. In addition to close cooperation with the Supreme Council of Universities to implement specialized programs and certificates in the field of quality, in addition to launching the GAHAR EGYCAP certificate and signing cooperation protocols with 10 Egyptian universities.
The head of the General Authority for Health Accreditation and Control indicated that the registration of members of the medical professions is being coordinated with the Egyptian Health Council, pointing out that 42,000 members of the medical professions have been registered in the authority so far, in addition to training 7,148 trainees on applying quality standards.
He continued: One of the most important mechanisms for the success of implementing the comprehensive health insurance system is the completion of the automation of each citizen’s medical file, in cooperation between the General Authority for Comprehensive Health Insurance and the General Authority for Health Care, which achieves effective communication between All components of the system, starting from the referral system from basic care centers to higher levels of care, in a way that supports the access of the necessary health service to citizens with the highest level of quality.
Dr. explained. Ahmed Taha, Chairman of the Health Accreditation and Control Authority, said that 360 facilities have been accredited, including 37 facilities in Greater Cairo, 14 facilities in Giza, and 3 facilities in Qalyubia, indicating that there are 86 accredited facilities belonging to the private sector and 16 facilities affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Population, praising the close cooperation with the General Authority for Health Care. And the success of 360 health facilities in obtaining accreditation according to GAHAR standards, through the implementation of 963 evaluation visits.
He added that, within the framework of the role of the General Authority for Health Accreditation and Control in spreading the culture of quality within the Egyptian health sector, GAHAR implemented a number 1,012 technical support programs included 264 remote technical support programs and 748 field visits within 23 governorates, indicating that the health facilities with the largest share in the number of recipients of technical support programs belong to the private sector, amounting to 448 facilities, in addition to 123 medical facilities affiliated with the Ministry of Health. And population, and 73 affiliated with the Health Care Authority.
In his speech at the opening session of the conference, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, pointed out the accreditation of many health facilities at the public and private sector levels, calling for support for the private sector and civil society organizations in Entry into the comprehensive health insurance system, and “Abdul Ghaffar” noted: Until the first phase of the comprehensive health insurance system put the successes and challenges in perspective, to move forward towards starting the other successive phases, with more rational scientific and practical expertise and capabilities.
He added that the dynamism of work and the abundance of procedures and interactions, and the lessons learned. From the previous stage, it will push towards starting coordination to start the second stage, which includes different governorates, in terms of area and population.
For her part, Nevin Al-Qabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity, confirmed that the ministry signed a cooperation protocol with the General Authority. For comprehensive health insurance, in 2022, regarding cooperation in extending social protection to groups of people who are unable, within the framework of the state’s efforts to work to provide the necessary means of social protection for various segments of citizens, especially middle-income and needy families, and in an effort to develop its services in various parts of the Republic.
«Al-Qabaj» The Ministry of Social Solidarity adopts a multi-dimensional approach to protecting the most vulnerable groups. Great efforts are being made to guarantee them a comprehensive package of rights, including health insurance, safe housing, food security, equal educational opportunities, and insurance protection.
While Dr. stressed. Muhammad Awad Taj El-Din said that today is the result of a long process that began since the Egyptian state launched the health insurance system in 1960, which faced many challenges and problems that prompted the leaders of the health sector to reconsider the mechanisms for its implementation, indicating that political will is the primary motivation for developing the health care system. Completely, taking into account that citizen satisfaction is the primary goal of health reform through providing health services consistent with the highest levels of quality, with a focus on benefiting from modern technology, the necessity of reducing population growth, and taking all necessary measures to prepare to confront sudden global health pandemics and crises.< /p>
In a related context, Dr. Ihab Abu Aish, Deputy Minister of Finance for Treasury Affairs, stressed the strength of the financial position of the Comprehensive Health Insurance Authority, according to actuarial studies, indicating that work is being done to integrate the private sector, which now represents 30% of the entities. Currently contracted in the system, in addition to health care units, stressing the role of the ministries and supporting bodies (Communications – Social Solidarity – General Authority for Social Insurance), in addition to the international support represented by the World Bank, the French Agency, and JICA, indicating that the comprehensive health insurance project satisfied the goals, He works to achieve what is required on an ongoing basis, expressing his appreciation to the Ministry of Health and Population for its efforts to improve the health system and improve the services provided to citizens in an effort to develop the health sector in a sustainable manner.
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