Population Conference.. Strengthening primary health care: a necessity to achieve universal health coverage
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, participated in a dialogue session entitled “Strengthening Primary Health Care: A Necessity for Achieving Universal Health Coverage,” within the activities of the third edition of the World Conference on Population, Health and Human Development (PHDC’25), under the slogan “Empowering Individuals… Promoting Progress… Providing Opportunities,” under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, during the period from November 12 to 15. 2025.
The Minister expressed his happiness with the diversity of attendance and the strength of participation, stressing that primary health care is the foundation of any advanced health system, and praised the efforts of partners in changing the concept of care in Egypt.
He reviewed family medicine and basic care units as a pillar of countries’ progress, pointing to the comprehensive health insurance project that began in six governorates, with the units linked to the electronic medical record to improve quality.
Also, He stressed the spread of digital transformation, performance development, and operational accreditation, while honoring distinguished units that witnessed increasing demand from citizens.
He explained that the patient-centered health model is the result of strategic decisions that integrate scientific evidence with modern technologies, reflecting a conviction that health is the pillar of national development and human capital.
The reform journey began in 2018 with the launch of comprehensive health insurance, which provides a legal framework for comprehensive coverage, reducing financial burdens, and preventing spending. Disastrous.
Family medicine is the system’s base for ensuring justice, continuity of care, and rational use of hospitals.
In the first phase, the system targeted nearly 5 million citizens with investments of 51 billion pounds, and the second phase expanded to include 12.8 million others, supported by a strong political will, a sustainability strategy, and long-term financing.
He stressed that investment in primary care protects productivity, reduces poverty, improves education, promotes gender equality, and ensures system efficiency. He also highlighted the role of partnership between the public and private sectors in developing infrastructure, digital solutions, building capacity, and expanding services.
He concluded by emphasizing that primary care is the cornerstone of a system that ensures quality, access, and equity, supported by laws, investments, partnerships, and political will led by President Sisi, to build a healthier nation, a stronger economy, and a resilient generation.
The session was moderated by Mai Farid, Executive Director of the General Authority for Comprehensive Health Insurance, stressing that investing in primary care is a necessity, and the challenge in Mobilizing political will, governance, innovative financing, and community engagement. It reviewed the Egyptian experience, which covers more than 5 million citizens in 6 governorates, with the expansion of contracting with accredited units, and increasing citizen awareness, despite the challenges of equality and the burden of non-communicable diseases.
Dr. Saleh Mahdi Al-Ashmawi, the Iraqi Minister of Health, expressed his appreciation for the reception, stressing the exchange of Arab experiences. He reviewed the Health Insurance Law as a symbiotic experience that provides state-paid services, with the role of the private sector and the registration of every citizen with a family doctor, as a qualitative shift in improving quality and sustainability.
Dr. Maha Rabat, former Minister of Health, stressed that primary care is a political, economic and social process that requires commitment, sustainable financing, governance and community participation. She pointed to Egypt’s transformation from a curative system to a comprehensive one, with the need to modernize the structure, referral, and digitization of health justice, as the insurance law formed the cornerstone.
Dr. Adham Rashad Ismail, Director of Programs at the World Health Organization, explained that primary care is the core of comprehensive coverage, with the organization’s support for financial protection and building the workforce.
He stressed the role of cooperation with the private sector in national evaluations of the integration and continuity of care.
Dr. Fadia Saada praised, The Regional Director for Human Development at the World Bank, Egypt’s priority for primary care as the most cost-effective intervention, with the need for sustainability of funding, empowering cadres, community outreach, changing behavior towards reliance on it, and incentives for service providers, with diversifying funding to avoid waste.
Mohamed Abdullah, CEO of Vodafone Egypt, expressed his appreciation for the political will, pointing to the success of the experiment with Vision 2030 and the integration of the two sectors. He stressed the role of digital transformation in updating records and training specialists, as the keys to success with cooperation and technology.
Omar Muhanna, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, emphasized the role of the private sector in integrated family medicine centers that operate longer hours, provide diagnosis, pharmacy, and preventive follow-up, with flexible financing and quality rewards.
He highlighted the digital transformation through remote consultations, home follow-up, and chronic disease monitoring, with continuous training and transparent performance measurement to achieve high quality.
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