Health & Education
From The Report: Egypt 2013
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After decades of improvements, Egypt has some of the region’s best public health indicators, and in some cases it delivers international-standard care. However, the precarious political and economic situation means that progress on reform has been patchy. With population pressures, new and old health care challenges – including rising non-communicable diseases rates and a high level of hepatitis infections – alongside a scarcity of resources, there is no doubt that the current system is stretched. With public funds limited, an increasing role for the private sector is looking likely, creating new opportunities for international participation in health financing and provision.

With 20m people in some form of education, Egypt has the largest student body in the MENA region. However, after several decades of progress, the system now lags behind international standards. Due to a shortage of resources, top-heavy administration, the difficulty of recruiting good teachers and out-dated curricula, schools and universities are not producing the qualified graduates Egypt needs for economic development. Factors including patchy standards at government institutions, rising incomes among the middle classes and a growing number of jobs that require higher levels of education have seen an increase in the number of private schools in the past 20 years.

This chapter contains an interview with Hossam Badrawi, Managing Director, Nile Badrawi Hospital, and Professor, Cairo University Medical School.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

The next step: Traditionally a regional leader, the sector has had a difficult few years
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After decades of improvements, Egypt has some of the region’s best public health indicators, and in some cases it delivers international-standard care. Nonetheless, the system, both public and private, faces significant challenges, including poor management and inefficient allocation of resources. A rising population, the changing disease profile and the unique burden created by a high hepatitis infection rate mean that the sector faces growing strains. With public funds limited, an increasing…

Interview

Uneven coverage: OBG talks to Hossam Badrawi, Managing Director, Nile Badrawi Hospital; and Professor, Cairo University Medical School
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Interview:Hossam Badrawi How significant a concern is overcrowding in hospitals, and what can be done to overcome it? HOSSAM BADRAWI: The major challenge lies in the distribution and management of bed occupancy rather than the number of beds itself. The bed occupancy rate in government hospitals is around 45%. However, in the absence of a competent referral system, there are problems in distribution between secondary, tertiary and intensive care beds, especially in Upper Egypt. The situation…

Analysis

A change of tack: Greater cooperation between public and private could bring rewards
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A substantial private health care segment already exists in Egypt, used by a fairly wide range of socioeconomic groups. The private sector largely coexists next to the public system, taking some of the strain off the latter and broadening the market. While a number of public-private partnerships (PPPs) have been pioneered, they have not been as extensively used as some would like. The logic behind sharing resources and expertise between the private, public and social segments is strong, and successful…

Overview

Promise and potential: Expanding access to and the quality of education is a priority
OBG
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With 20m people in some form of education, Egypt has the largest student body in the MENA region. The sector can draw on a proud history – Cairo’s Al Azhar is the world’s oldest operating university, and there is strong cultural education – and after a post-independence drive to expand schooling, universal access to basic education is guaranteed. However, after several decades of progress, the system now lags behind international standards. Due to a shortage of resources, top-heavy…