Nuweiba Central Hospital in South Sinai. Photo courtesy of Egypt Healthcare Authority
South Sinai is one of six governorates in the first phase of Egypt’s national health insurance rollout, which is due to conclude in July 2025 with the addition of Aswan. The UHIS aims to cover the entire population by 2030.
According to Egypt Healthcare Authority Chairman Ahmed El-Sobky, the hospitals' construction cost a combined EGP 1.3 billion.
Nuweibaa Central Hospital, covering 5,000 square metres, has 42 dialysis machines and departments for inpatient care, intensive care, emergency services, surgery, radiology, endoscopy, labs, a blood bank, and 10 outpatient clinics. The project cost over EGP 600 million.
Meanwhile, Dahab New Hospital includes 58 beds, six outpatient clinics, a neonatal intensive care unit, labs, emergency surgery, dialysis, radiology, endoscopy, and blood services departments. Construction and equipment costs totalled EGP 728 million.
The two facilities join five other hospitals already operating under the authority in South Sinai: Sharm El-Sheikh International, Ras Sedr Specialized, Taba Central, Saint Catherine, and Al-Fayrouz Medical Complex. Together, they have delivered more than 1.5 million medical services since the UHIS launched in the region in 2018.
Staff from existing hospitals will begin transferring to the new system in the next fiscal year and will be trained to meet UHIS standards. El-Sobky said the state has spent more than EGP 4 billion on operating the scheme in South Sinai, including infrastructure and equipment.
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