Egypt Country Brief
Community Health: Policy and Implementation Landscape Mapping in the Middle East and North Africa Region 2024
Highlights
Country Context
Egypt, officially known as the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country located at the northeast corner of Africa and the southwest corner of Asia. It is the most populous country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), accounting for more than 109 million inhabitants. Egypt is also home to 575,000 registered refugees and asylum-seekers from 61 countries, with Sudanese being the largest group. Most of these refugees reside in urban areas such as Cairo and the North Coast. Also, the Egyptian Red Crescent, with support from United Nations (UN) agencies, provides essential humanitarian aid to Gaza and supports medical evacuees in Egypt through the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP).
Overview of Community Health
Egypt's health system is governed by the Ministry of Health and Population, which oversees health care policy and service delivery across 27 governorates. The system includes public, private, university, and other governmental hospitals, with a focus on primary health care units for preventive and curative care. Health insurance reforms aim to achieve universal coverage. Community health programmes emphasize maternal and child health, addressing rural disparities, and integrating public-private partnerships to enhance health care quality and accessibility nationwide. This system faces challenges in addressing both poverty-related illnesses and emerging diseases associated with modern urban lifestyles.
