A law granting public facilities a commitment to establish, manage, operate and develop health facilities

Law granting commitment to public facilities to establish, manage, operate and develop health facilities

Egypt is sparing no effort to develop the health system, improve its services provided to citizens, and raise the efficiency of its workers. Today, Egyptian efforts are resuming their steps towards developing the health sector by approving a law that allows the private sector to operate and manage health facilities and establishments.

This step comes in light of the many challenges facing the government health sector. However, this law has raised concerns among some that it will affect the provision of health services to the most needy groups, and their high cost to citizens. These concerns came in conjunction with the noticeable increase in the prices of these services under the management of the private sector, in addition to the possible consequence of implementing this law in neglecting health facilities in the poorest areas, with the private sector focusing on high-income areas.

This law – in addition to the above – has raised many questions about the extent of the state’s ability to effectively monitor and organize the work of these private facilities – in order to ensure the quality of services and fair prices – in addition to the uncertainty of the scene regarding the fate of current workers in the health system.

From another point of view, this law – despite these fears – may bring about a qualitative shift in the level of health services provided to citizens. Because it is expected that the involvement of the private sector will improve the infrastructure of health facilities and develop the services and technologies used. It may also contribute to attracting distinguished medical and administrative competencies, and it can also enhance innovation in the health field.

Between these fears and these aspirations, it is the role of the House of Representatives – in activating its legislative role – to make a clear difference with its fundamental amendments, which ensured that health care units and family medicine centers were not harmed, which constituted a positive turning point, especially in light of the great importance that health care units and family medicine centerswill represent after the comprehensive health insurance project is fully implemented. Holistic, as the health planning of the health care units and family medicine centers in this project is based on the absence of geographical obstacles that prevent citizens from accessing health service facilities. The distance between the citizen and the nearest unit does not exceed five kilometers, and the distance between him and the nearest family medicine center does not exceed ten kilometers, so that the family medicine center serves twenty thousand citizens, while the health care unit serves forty thousand citizens.

This confirms the guarantee of the minimum level of access to good health services to all citizens. These amendments also included the exception of blood and plasma operations, so that these services are provided through the state only. The amendments also ensured the commitment of private sector investors to retain 25% – at the very least – of workers in the facility.

Therefore – after approving the law with its aforementioned amendments – and after issuing its executive regulations, all that remains is to work with transparency and extreme diligence to make this law a success. To improve the health services provided and raise their efficiency; This can only be achieved by working to improve the entire health system, in terms of its infrastructure, human resources, and services provided, provided that strict controls and oversight mechanisms are put in place. To ensure that the rights of citizens to obtain good health services, at affordable prices, are not infringed, with the necessity of following a method of subsequent oversight, which enables the regulatory authorities to identify problems – firsthand – before they escalate, and work to remedy them, whether by updating the mechanisms and controls immediately, or by immediate amendment in the executive regulations themselves or even in the law itself.

In conclusion, the law granting the obligation of public facilities to establish, manage, operate and develop health facilities; It will not affect health insurance services or free treatment at all, and it will also not affect treatment at state expense. The state is fully aware of the extreme necessity of these services and does not accept negligence or negligence.

Despite the above, this law remains a major challenge for the state, to achieve a balance between improving health services and protecting the rights of citizens most in need, with the necessity of developing the cadres working in this system technically and financially, which can only be achieved through true solidarity between the public and private sectors, with the necessity of following an approach of transparency, providing accurate information and making it available, and persevering in spreading awareness among citizens. So that this law is one of the most important real steps towards providing “good health”, in fulfillment of “Egypt Vision 2030”.