Cairo – Mubasher: Egypt aims to expand gradually in the implementation of the universal health insurance scheme across several governorates, the Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Universal Health Insurance Authority (UHIA), Mohamed Maait, said. 

The scheme includes extending universal healthcare coverage to all citizens over 10 years, Maait added in a statement on Monday. 

The financial indicators for fiscal year (FY) 2020/2021 showed that the UHIA has been able to achieve sustainable financial inflows required for resuming the implementation of the scheme across all governorates in line with the Haya Karima (A Decent Life) initiative. 

Over the year ended 30 June, the authority achieved a 36% year-on-year (YoY) revenue growth and a 129% increase in return on investments, the minister noted. 

The state treasury has paid EGP 39.3 million in universal healthcare subscriptions for eligible citizens in FY20/21, an increase of 495% on an annual basis.  

The finance ministry has paid EGP 988 million worth of the medical services provided by the authority to beneficiaries in Port Said. 

For his part, the Executive Director of UHIA, Hossam Sadek, said that the medical service list is updated regularly as it now includes more than 2,850 services.

Moreover, more than 1,248 bone marrow, kidney, and liver transplant surgeries have been performed in Port Said and Luxor, Sadek added.