Sisi launched the system from Port Said, the first governorate in which the system was implemented, while inaugurating a number of projects
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced on Tuesday the launch of the comprehensive social health insurance system across Egypt during the inauguration ceremony for a number of projects in Port Said.
El-Sisi said that the average contribution per treatment per person is being raised from EGP 180 at present to at least EGP 2,000 under the new system, which guarantees a higher quality of medical services.
Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said during the ceremony that Egypt needs EGP 210 billion to include all citizens in the system since the average treatment cost per person is EGP 2,100.
Maait added that after 15 years, the average cost per person will be EGP 6,000.
He explained that the system is being financed partly through citizens' subscription fees, which represents 30 to 40 percent of the system's total budget, and also through extra resources like tobacco and cigarette derivatives fees and contributions from the state treasury.
During the ceremony, Minister of Health Hala Zayed reviewed the procedures forimplementing the system for the first time in Port Said governorate.
The pilot stage of the system was launched in Port Said last July, and it wasfully implementedin September 2019.
Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sent a video message that was screened during the ceremony congratulating President El-Sisi and the Egyptian people on the launch of the system, describing it as an important step forward.
Ghebreyesus stressed that health is a right for all and not a privilege for those who can afford it, and that this right is guaranteed by the 2014 Egyptian constitution.
Ghebreyesus praised in his message the success of the 100 million Healthy Lives initiative, and expressed his confidence in the success of the comprehensive social health insurance system.
President El-Sisi witnessed the inauguration of a number of national projects in Port Said during the ceremony, including South Port Said tunnels, the 30 June axis, the East Port Said fish farms project, the Manzala lake disinfection project, and the maritime quays of the East Port Said port.
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