Ahmed El-Sobky, the head of Egypt Healthcare Authority (EHA), discussed with Canada’s Ambassador to Egypt, Ulric Shannon, ways to expand co-operation in medical services, digital health technologies, and training as Cairo rolls out the second phase of its universal health insurance system.
El-Sobky said Egypt aims to benefit from Canadian expertise and advanced medical and digital technologies to support the next stage of the nationwide insurance scheme, improve operational efficiency, and raise the quality of care to international standards.
El-Sobky said areas of cooperation would include medical education and continuous professional training, as well as twinning programmes with specialised Canadian centres, particularly in oncology, to upgrade treatment services and adopt globally recognised protocols.
The two sides also discussed promoting medical tourism and positioning Egypt as a destination for advanced healthcare services, while providing tailored treatment packages for Canadian visitors and expatriates in provinces covered by the universal insurance system, including tourist destinations such as Luxor, Aswan, and South Sinai.
El-Sobky added that cooperation could extend to supporting Egypt’s green transition in the health sector through environmentally friendly practices in medical facilities, energy efficiency, and sustainable health systems.
He said the second phase of the universal health insurance system will cover 65 hospitals and 450 primary care facilities, underlining the importance of international partnerships to ensure high-quality services across the network.
For his part, Ambassador Shannon said deepening ties with Egypt is a top priority for Canada and expressed his country’s interest in expanding joint health cooperation, particularly in light of opportunities created by Egypt’s universal insurance system.
He added that Canadian companies in Egypt have advanced capabilities in digital medical records management, telemedicine, and AI-based diagnostics, which can help improve healthcare efficiency, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and expand access to medical services, especially in remote areas.
