File photo: A medical worker, clad in a mask as a safety measure. Photo: AFP
This is an increase from 42 percent of total CSR allocated to the sector in 2025.
The CBE has directed all banks in Egypt to raise their support for the Ministry of Health and Population’s national healthcare initiatives that aim to develop university hospitals as well as equip, contribute to, and establish specialized medical centers for heart disease, oncology, Alzheimer’s, burns, and cancer.
This aligns with the state’s vision to achieve sustainable development by 2030 and raise healthy life expectancy to 75 years by the same year through expanding primary healthcare services, disease prevention programmes, and early detection initiatives, as Egypt seeks to improve the efficiency and sustainability of its healthcare system.
During FY2026/2027, the government will implement plans to increase healthcare spending by 25 percent as part of broader efforts to strengthen human development and social protection.
This aims to achieve a fair distribution of investments between support for private sector fields and social protection measures.
The banking sector supported and sponsored several initiatives, including the presidential initiative to care for children with Type 1 diabetes, ‘Our Diabetes Heroes’, which provides insulin-monitoring devices without traditional finger-pricking to children from underprivileged families.
Several banks covered the cost of the initiative's first phase until the end of 2026 and will continue to provide blood glucose meters for children during the second phase.
Furthermore, banks supported another initiative, in partnership with the health ministry’s Medical Emergency Response Fund, that aims to eradicate waiting lists for critical surgeries and expedite performance on the most in-demand procedures such as heart surgery, joint replacement, and corneal transplants during the initiative’s first phase.
Over 3.7 million procedures and surgeries have been completed under this initiative as of February 2026.
The Medical Emergency Response Fund is a public body operating under the Ministry. It supports and finances medical services for critical and complex cases, treats rare diseases, and covers the cost of health crises and disasters, ensuring the sustainability of healthcare provision.
As a result of these efforts, the CBE and the fund inked a cooperation protocol to expand the base of beneficiaries for over three years, starting in 2026, focusing on urgent specialties, according to the statement.
The country has also been enhancing investments in the health sector to expand its Universal Health Insurance System to ensure that all citizens have health coverage by 2030.
Earlier this year, in February, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government of Japan pledged $3.38 million to strengthen emergency medical services in Egypt.
As for FY2026/27, the government has also earmarked around EGP 90.5 billion ($1.8 billion) for medicines, medical supplies, and equipment, and EGP 47.5 billion ($940 million) for state-funded treatment and health insurance.
The banking sector and the CBE also supported operating intensive care units in health ministry hospitals, alongside providing equipment for Al-Mabra Hospital in Old Cairo and developing the Fayoum Oncology Center.
They have also upgraded the infrastructure and services of university hospitals such as the National Cancer Institute at Cairo University and the Medical City at Ain Shams University, and contributed to equipment for the first specialized liver transplant center in the Middle East and Africa at Mansoura University.
It's worth noting that Egypt has recently launched a national digital pathology network linking seven medical sites to accelerate cancer diagnosis and raise diagnostic accuracy to 92 percent.
The state has also approved a reduction of value added tax (VAT) on medical equipment to five percent from 14 percent, to support healthcare investment and local manufacturing of medical products.
Additionally, the sector’s contributions to the healthcare sector have expanded, supporting specialized medical centers and hospitals, such as establishing and equipping the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center in Sheikh Zayed City and equipping Ahl Masr Burn Hospital, the first specialized hospital for free burn treatment in Egypt.
This is alongside training medical personnel, establishing and equipping Baheya Hospital in Sheikh Zayed City for early detection and treatment of breast cancer, and developing Abla El-Kahlawy’s Alzheimer complex for the elderly with the latest technologies and medical equipment.
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