Maat holds a hearing on the draft comprehensive social health insurance law

Aqeel: We seek to pass legislation that is consistent with Egypt's international obligations

Hala Mostakli: I will work to not sell any of the government hospitals, and we will oblige the responsible authorities to raise their quality

Shadia Thabet: The bill is good and contributes well to raising the level of health services in Egypt

Ghannam: This is the first Egyptian law for health insurance that covers all segments equally

MPs pledge to help hold a Maat hearing in Parliament to debate the law

Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights held a high-level hearing on Wednesday 16 November 2016

The session comes within the framework of the implementation of the activities of the “UPR project as a tool to improve public policies during the transitional phase,” implemented by Maat Foundation with funding from the European Union over the years 2016-2017, and which seeks to help the state fulfill its obligations to the international mechanism, and enhance the capacities of stakeholders. The various parties advocate and engage in efforts to reform human rights and related public policies.

The session aimed to mobilize the support of MPs, experts and stakeholders involved, for a project proposal "Comprehensive Social Health Insurance Law" Which was developed by the unit "Public Policy Analysis and Human Rights" Based on the foundation's holding of a high-level round table in which specialized experts, members of the Doctors and Pharmacists Syndicate and a number of party leaderships, trade unions and also a number of media professionals participated, which the Foundation sent to the Egyptian Parliament last June.

A distinguished elite of experts, officials, parliamentarians, party leaders, civil society leaders and heads of some trade unions participated in the hearing session. Among the attendees was Dr. Alaa Ghanem, member of the committee for drafting the health insurance law, Dr. Naji Al-Shehabi, head of the Generation Party, and advisor Jamal Al-Tohamy, head of the former People's Assembly legislative committee and deputy. Shadia Thabet and MP Hala Mostakli, in addition to a group of jurists and doctors.

The meeting was opened by Mr. Ayman Aqil, President of Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights with a quick presentation of the concept of the universal periodic review, stressing that the Maat Foundation is striving to push for the approval of draft laws that comply with international standards and covenants and recommendations that Egypt committed to before the Human Rights Council during the second session of the UPR in 2015.

For his part, Alaa Ghannam, a member of the Law Drafting Committee, affirmed that the law is the first Egyptian law for health insurance that covers the entire people in a compulsory manner and depends on geographical demographic distribution and a family law that covers all segments. He added that if the law is approved and the level of health services is raised, this will be reflected on individuals, which leads to raising the output National income 30% at least.

In the same context, Naji al-Shehabi, head of the Generation Party, affirmed that Egypt suffers severely from multiple crises, foremost of which is poor health services provided to citizens, calling on parliament members to work for the sake of the country and the citizen and not wait for government bills and then approve them.

Representative Shadia Thabet, a member of the Parliament's Health Committee, said that the proposed bill is good and will contribute effectively to improving the quality of health services provided for its reliance on separating funding from service providers with the approval of the law’s legislator, a body working on oversight and quality certification, affirming that the deputies in the Health Committee will work hard to pass an insurance law Healthy in the interest of the citizen

Dr. Hala Mostakli, a member of the Parliament's Health Committee, stated that she would defend against selling or closing any of the government hospitals that reach 566 government hospitals throughout the republic and praised the articles of the law that oblige the competent bodies to rehabilitate hospitals and raise their quality level to suitability and quality standards.

The meeting ended with a promise from the MPs to hold a hearing with the formation of a full health committee, with the aim of the committee adopting the comprehensive social health insurance bill.