Universal Health Insurance Authority and Northeastern University and GlobeMed Group Collaborate to launch the Recommendations of the Impactful Research Initiative: “Harnessing the Role of the Private Sector in Advancing the Universal Health Coverage in Egypt”

During a conference held under the patronage and in the presence of H.E. Dr. Mohammad Maait, the Minister of Finance and Board Chair of the Universal Health Insurance Authority, the Bouvé College of Health Sciences of Northeastern University, USA in collaboration with GlobeMed Group, the leading healthcare benefits management group in the Middle East, launched the insights and recommendations of its impactful research initiative “Harnessing the Role of the Private Sector in advancing the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Egypt”. The prestigious event was held in the Four Seasons Nile Plaza Hotel in Cairo, Egypt.

The Minister of Finance H.E. Dr. Maait inaugurated the launch event in the presence of Minister of Health and Population H.E. Dr. Khaled Abdel Al Gaffar, the Advisor to the President of Egypt for health and prevention affairs H.E. Dr. Mohamed Awad Taj El-Din, the Northeastern University President Dr. Joseph Aoun, H.E. Mr. Michel Pharaon, Chairman of GlobeMed Egypt and Deans of Bouvé College of Health Sciences and D’Amore-McKim School of Business, along with prominent attendance including presidents and board members of major health insurance organizations in Egypt, in addition to representatives of major insurance and brokerage companies in Egypt and executive attendance from the insurance sector.

During his participation virtually from Boston, Dr. Joseph Aoun emphasized the importance of the insights and recommendations of the initiative and the essential role of Northeastern University. He also praised the efforts of the minister, the health insurance sector, and the interdisciplinary team of researchers from Northeastern University and GlobeMed.

In his opening speech, Dr. Mohamed Maait said that the study is part of the efforts of the Ministry of Finance and the Universal Health Insurance Authority (UHIA) to establish a universal health insurance system for all Egyptians that covers all diseases, and in line with what was indicated by Article 18 of the Egyptian Constitution and the right of every citizen to health and integrated health care in accordance with quality standards.

H.E. the Minister of Finance also emphasized the importance of the efforts of the Egyptian government to involve the private sector in order to strengthen the health system and achieve reform in the Egyptian health sector by implementing the universal health coverage through the implementation of the Universal Health Insurance in Egypt, in which the UHIA constitutes the responsible authority for its management and financing. This includes targeting the strategic purchase of quality health services, according to the needs of citizens, at fair and flexible prices, to achieve the best health outcomes in return for what is spent, while contracting with healthcare providers and various medical treatment systems, as well as the citizen’s right to choose treatment facilities from the healthcare providers contracted with the UHIA to provide the service according to the specified referral levels.

In his speech, H.E. Dr. Khaled Abdel El-Ghaffar stressed the importance of the research imitative and the steps taken to implement the Universal Health Insurance in Egypt for the benefit of the community. He also emphasized the importance of the role of the Private sector.

H.E. Michel Pharaon praised the efforts and the vision of the Egyptian leadership led by his H.E. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.  He also praised the efforts of the interdisciplinary team of researchers from Northeastern University along with experts from GlobeMed Group which managed $3 billion in claims worth in the region during 2022 for insurance programs in the public and private sectors in 12 countries in the MENA region. He considered that this research study constitutes a modest stepping stone in the development of the universal health coverage. through cooperation between the public and private sectors in the development of superior administrative mechanisms. He also stressed the importance of supporting and encouraging the Universal Health Insurance Authority in Egypt, given the importance of the quality experiences in Egypt, which affect the policies of many Arab and African countries, and concerns many researchers in the world.

During the conference, Dr. Fadi El-Jardali, representing the team of researchers at Northeastern University, stressed the importance of this initiative to build on the achievements made since the adoption of the Universal Health Insurance law in Egypt and to ensure a sustainable impact and tangible results through the participation of stakeholders, including the private sector. With Egypt's progress in implementing the new Universal Health Insurance system, one of the important areas that require study and the focus of this project is the role of the private sector in developing the Universal Health Coverage program.

In a detailed presentation, Dr. El-Jardali presented results of the research project, which saw the participation of number of researchers from Northeastern University in the United States, in addition to researchers from the region. During which he demonstrated the experiences of countries in involving the private sector to find solutions to the challenges facing the health system. He pointed out the importance of adopting a strategy that benefits from the strengths of both the public and private sectors. Dr. Jardali concluded his presentation with the critical insights and recommendations of this report at the level of governance, financing, service delivery and infrastructure, based on a comprehensive review of the literature and interviews conducted with the concerned parties.

The conference concluded with a discussion panel attended by H.E. the Minister of Finance, H.E. the Minister of Health and Population, and H.E. Mr. Michel Pharaon with representatives from the health insurance sector, where they discussed the recommendations and results of the study along with the way forward for implementing these recommendations and achieving the desired results for the benefit of the Egyptian citizens.