Al-Mashat:
• Consolidating international partnerships to develop Egypt’s healthcare sector and localize the pharmaceutical and vaccine industry.
• EGP 20 Billion in the 25/2026 plan to implement the second phase of the Universal Health Insurance System in 5 governorates.
H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation and Egypt’s Governor at the World Bank, participated in the launch of the “Health for Development and Action” initiative, launched by the World Bank Group (WBG), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Government of Japan. The event included the participation of H.E. Mr. Ajay Banga, WBG President, H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom, WHO Director-General, and Mr. Atsushi Mimura, Japanese Vice Finance Minister for International Affairs, during the 2025 Annual Meetings of the WBG and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington.
The initiative aims to boost investment in health systems as a pillar for achieving economic development. The initiative’s coalition includes ministers and leaders from the public and private sectors and civil society, with the goal of enabling 1.5 billion people to access affordable health services by 2030.
In her speech, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat praised the initiative launched by the World Bank, stressing that effective international partnerships are a crucial channel that can support developing and emerging countries in enhancing their capacity to achieve development, especially in the healthcare sector, which is of utmost importance to countries worldwide.
Dr. Al-Mashat indicated that health services are not merely curative services but also a driver of productivity, innovation, and competitiveness. She explained that the Egyptian government is committed to consolidating strategic partnerships with international institutions to support efforts to develop the health sector and increase investment in human capital. This is embodied in the funding for the Universal Health Insurance System, which provides high-quality health services to citizens, and which the state aims to generalize across all governorates.
Minister Al-Mashat added that approximately 47% of the government investments in the current fiscal year’s socio-economic development plan are directed towards human and social development sectors, including EGP 20 billion to expand the umbrella of the Universal Health Insurance, a project that works to improve healthcare services for citizens and access to health services provided by the private sector.
Dr. Al-Mashat mentioned that the first phase of the Universal Health Insurance project included 6 governorates: Port Said, Suez, Ismailia, Luxor, Aswan, and South Sinai, while the second phase aims to implement the system in 5 other governorates: Kafr El Sheikh, Damietta, Minya, Marsa Matrouh, and North Sinai.
Dr. Al-Mashat pointed out that Egypt is keen to maximize international partnerships, both in terms of financing and technical support, to benefit from available initiatives for developing healthcare services in line with national priorities.
In a related context, Dr. Al-Mashat referred to the World Bank initiative on improving access to essential medicines and developing a sustainable local health industry in the African continent, in which several countries, including Egypt, are participating. She noted that the Egyptian state places the localization of the pharmaceutical and vaccine industry at the top of its priorities to meet local needs and export to foreign markets.