Egypt steps up health sector reform with WHO, UNICEF

Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Health and Population Abla Al-Alfi has held a meeting with delegations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) to discuss progress in the country’s health sector reform. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA).

The delegation included the Team Leader of Systems Governance and Stewardship at the World Health Organisation (WHO) David Clarke, alongside the Technical Officer at WHO Systems Governance, Stewardship Department Aya Thabet, and UNICEF Public Health Consultant Ahmed Taha Abou Shady.

The discussions reviewed progress to date and outlined a clear roadmap to accelerate reforms by applying international best practices in health governance, strengthening public-private partnerships, and engaging key stakeholders.

Al-Alfi outlined the ministry’s strategy to shift from being a primary healthcare provider to a regulatory authority, aligning with Egypt Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She stressed the need to update legislation and build institutional capacity, identifying these as critical pillars for reform success. Coordination among all concerned entities was also highlighted as essential.

The meeting proposed the creation of a dedicated training unit for policymakers on governance and capacity building. A workshop will also be held to review reform outcomes and determine next steps, in line with the Ministry’s priorities on digital transformation and private sector engagement.

The meeting concluded with a recommendation for WHO to prepare a comprehensive proposal to support Egypt’s health system reform, focusing on governance, public-private partnerships, and digital health transformation.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
Subediting: M. S. Salama