Egypt is seeking to expand healthcare partnerships with African countries, attract more African patients for treatment in Egypt and share its experience in implementing the Universal Health Insurance (UHI) system, Chairman of the Egypt Healthcare Authority (EHA), Ahmed El-Sobky, said.
The remarks came during a meeting between EHA Chairman and Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs Ambassador Mohamed Karim Sherif on Sunday.
The two sides discussed ways of boosting health and investment partnerships with African countries and leveraging Egypt’s medical capabilities to support health diplomacy and expand medical tourism.
El-Sobky said the authority was ready to launch a package of initiatives to support healthcare systems in the Nile Basin, Horn of Africa and southern African countries.
He said the EHA would draw on its expertise in managing and operating healthcare facilities, governance, quality standards and digital transformation. The aim is to transfer Egypt’s UHI experience and build the capacities of African healthcare professionals according to the needs of each country.
El-Sobky highlighted the authority’s operation of Africa’s first virtual hospital, the largest of its kind in the Middle East, describing it as a strategic tool for supporting Egyptian healthcare initiatives across the continent.
On medical tourism, the two sides had reached an initial agreement to prepare a joint working paper in coordination with the Foreign Ministry to launch a programme for treating African patients in Egypt at discounted rates under the “We Care for You in Egypt” initiative.
Ambassador Sherif said medical and economic diplomacy were key pillars for strengthening Egypt-Africa partnerships.
The two sides also reviewed opportunities to build on Egypt’s existing economic ties and projects across Africa to expand co-operation in the healthcare sector.
