Part of the surgery. Photo courtesy of Egyptian cabinet.
The procedure, performed at Tiba Specialized Hospital in Esna, Luxor, used Complex EVAR + IBD technologies to treat an abdominal aortic aneurysm and affected iliac arteries, marking the first time the technique has been carried out within EHA facilities under the comprehensive insurance system.
The breakthrough underscores efforts to expand advanced vascular interventions beyond major urban centres, allowing patients in Upper Egypt to access high-end treatment locally rather than being referred elsewhere.
“Expanding the use of EVAR and IBD techniques reflects a qualitative leap in advanced vascular surgery services in Upper Egypt,” EHA Chairman Ahmed El-Sobky said, adding that such procedures cost more than EGP 1 million in the private sector but are now available to insured patients at no additional burden.
He said the authority’s strategy focuses on localizing cutting-edge minimally invasive technologies while building specialized medical teams capable of performing complex procedures in line with international standards.
The operation represents a significant shift from traditional open surgery, which carries higher risks and longer recovery times, El-Sobky added, noting that modern techniques allow intervention through very small incisions, reducing complications and accelerating recovery.
During the procedure, surgeons used advanced covered stent grafts to isolate the aneurysm. This included coiling the right internal iliac artery to prevent retrograde leakage, alongside placing a covered stent in the left internal iliac artery using IBD technology to preserve blood flow to the pelvic region.
The intervention was performed entirely through minimally invasive access, successfully isolating the aneurysm and eliminating the risk of rupture.
The procedure was carried out by a multidisciplinary team from the hospital’s vascular surgery and interventional catheterization unit, led by consultant and department head Dr Mohamed Hassan Abou Mansour, alongside consultants Dr Ahmed El-Gendy and Dr Mohamed Abdelhady, and resident Dr Ahmed Zain El-Din.
Egypt’s UHIS has delivered more than 105 million medical services in its first phase, as Cairo pushes to expand nationwide coverage and improve healthcare access, according to the Cabinet Media Centre.
The government has allocated over EGP 115 billion for Phase II, which will cover five governorates: Minya, Matrouh, Damietta, Kafr El-Sheikh, and North Sinai, serving more than 12 million citizens through around 70 hospitals. Trial operations in Minya are set to begin in April 2026.
Launched in 2019, Phase I covered six governorates and registered over 6 million citizens, with about 5.2 million beneficiaries receiving services at a cost exceeding EGP 53 billion. The phase recorded 86 percent satisfaction rates and a 47 percent drop in out-of-pocket spending, while the state covered contributions for around 905,000 low-income citizens.
The system is underpinned by a major digital transformation, including over 81 million e-prescriptions, 6 million electronic health records, and near-full automation of hospitals in Phase I areas.
Established under Law No. 2 of 2018, UHIS replaces Egypt’s fragmented insurance model with a mandatory, universal system, separating financing, service provision, and regulation to improve efficiency and quality, with full national rollout targeted by 2030.
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