During the opening speech of the advanced training program launched by the World Health Organization for capacity building on economic evaluation and health technology assessment...
The head of the Egypt Healthcare Authority stated, "Investing in human resources contributes to shaping the new form of the Egyptian health system, a system that is governed and capable of adapting to challenges."
The head of the Egypt Healthcare Authority mentioned, "Value-based healthcare and health economics are the main pillars of any successful, sustainable health system. There is no luxury in the health sector for the excessive use of resources."
The head of the Egypt Healthcare Authority noted, "Egypt is taking firm steps in both directions, whether in building integrated electronic systems or developing sustainable financial systems."
The head of the Egypt Healthcare Authority emphasized, "Building integrated systems and achieving financial sustainability requires continuous updating of information, keeping up with health technology, staying abreast of the latest global developments in health economics, and adopting a value-based healthcare approach."
The head of the Egypt Healthcare Authority announced that the Egypt Healthcare Authority, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the Universal Health Insurance Authority, is preparing a proposal on a methodology for pricing non-insurance health services to ensure the provision of all health services with high quality and according to a fair pricing mechanism.
The WHO representative in Egypt stated, "According to World Health Organization statistics, more than 100 million people are pushed into extreme poverty each year due to out-of-pocket health expenses. Achieving universal health coverage could reduce the number of people facing financial hardship by 30%, which would improve overall health outcomes and economic stability."
The head of the Universal Health Insurance Authority mentioned that the percentage of health spending out of pocket by citizens has reached 59%, a decrease of 3% from before. Supporting health economics contributes to saving 430 billion Egyptian pounds, which can improve the living conditions of citizens.
Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, the head of the Egypt Healthcare Authority and the supervisor general of the universal health insurance project, participated in the opening events of the advanced training program launched by the World Health Organization under the title "Economic Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment."
During his speech, he emphasized the institutional work at the World Health Organization as an example of international organizations, highlighting its effective role with the Egyptian government in eliminating hepatitis C and the comprehensive health insurance file. There are many areas of cooperation that have been carried out in collaboration between the Egyptian government and the World Health Organization, and now we are on the verge of a new success story for the organization in capacity building and human resources workforce whether in Egypt Healthcare Authority or the Ministry of Health and bodies of the comprehensive health insurance system and all those involved in the health sector at a global level.
He pointed out that the workshop focuses on two strategic axes: economic evaluation and health technology assessment, which will create a qualified human resources base to keep up with all global updates and will play a significant role in health reform in Egypt.
He noted that the Egypt Healthcare Authority has active cooperation in the same context in the field of health economics HTA with the Drug Authority and the Unified Purchasing Authority, which has significantly impacted improving indicators and controlling all procedures carried out at the Egypt Healthcare Authority facilities. He continued: We now have revenues from the authority's resources through controlling revenue cycle management and constant focus on health economics, which reflects dealing with the Universal Health Insurance Authority and our partners from local and international private health insurance.
The head of the authority also stressed the importance of investing in human resources to build a new form of the governed Egyptian health system capable of adapting to challenges, emphasizing the need to change the culture of health service providers to deal economically with service institutions. The government health sector workers are now qualified to adapt quickly and keep up with all developments, affirming that the philosophy of the comprehensive health insurance project is based on separating service provision from its financing, which has positively reflected on the quality of service provided to those interacting with the universal health insurance system.
He highlighted that we are preparing for the second phase of the universal health insurance, which calls for a focus on developing human capabilities, considering them one of the main axes of health reform, noting that science, continuous training, and interactive workshops help change the culture of those working in the health sector.
He clarified that there is no luxury to excessively use resources, but building integrated systems and achieving financial sustainability requires continuous updating of information, keeping up with health technology, learning about the latest health economics research, staying up-to-date with global developments, and adopting a value-based healthcare approach. He emphasized that economic evaluation and health technology assessment are crucial for evidence-based healthcare decision-making, pointing out that Egypt is taking firm steps in both directions, whether in building integrated electronic systems or developing sustainable financial systems. He confirmed that value-based healthcare and health economics are the main pillars of any successful and sustainable health system.
He concluded his speech by stating that the Egypt Healthcare Authority, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the Universal Health Insurance Authority, is in the process of preparing a proposal on a methodology for pricing non-insurance health services such as public health, preventive medicine, emergency services, and family planning that includes pricing mechanisms and periodic pricing reviews among others. This will ensure the provision of health services with high quality and according to a fair pricing mechanism.
Dr. Neama Abd, the WHO representative in Egypt, affirmed that health economics plays a crucial role in striving to achieve universal health coverage. According to WHO reports, effective health economics is essential for improving resource allocation and ensuring that health systems can provide fair access to quality care for all individuals.
He pointed out that according to World Health Organization statistics, more than 100 million people are driven into extreme poverty each year due to out-of-pocket health expenses, highlighting the economic barriers that can prevent access to necessary health services. He affirmed that achieving universal health coverage can reduce the number of people suffering from financial hardship by 30%, which improves overall health outcomes and economic stability, through cost-effectiveness analysis and prioritizing interventions, managing health expenses, using the skills and knowledge that will be gained during this workshop, we will be able to use health economics effectively in designing and implementing strategies that make health systems more efficient and financially sustainable, ultimately driving towards achieving the goal of universal health coverage.
Dr. Mohamed Maait, the head of the Universal Health Insurance Authority, during his speech, appreciated the cooperation with the World Health Organization and their active role in the continuity of medical service efficiency while maintaining financial sustainability, which aims to achieve universal health coverage.
He pointed out that economic evaluation and health technology assessment help build evidence-based decisions, enabling policymakers to make informed decisions that enhance health benefits, emphasizing the importance of focusing on procedures that improve health outcomes and enhance the sustainability of health systems, noting that the percentage of health spending out of the citizen's pocket has reached 59%, a decrease of 3% from before, affirming that support in health economics is exceptional support and contributes to providing 430 billion that will improve the living conditions of citizens.
This was part of the first day's opening events of the advanced training program "Economic Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment," which aims to develop human resource capabilities around two main axes: economic evaluation and health technology assessment. The program will continue over a full year, with participants from all sectors concerned with health.
