Egypt : Complete Profile - What is GIS - World Health Organization

Health Systems Profile- Egypt Regional Health Systems Observatory- EMRO
of its services varies widely and is largely unregulated. There is also more emphasis on
curative services rather than preventive and health promotion services. So far, the
private sector has not been involved in the health policy dialogue nor has it
demonstrated significant interest in doing so.
Private sector provision of services covers everything from traditional healers and
midwives, private pharmacies, private doctors, and private hospitals of all sizes. Also, in
this sector are a large number of NGOs providing services, including religiously affiliated
clinics and other charitable organizations, all of which are registered with the Ministry of
Social Affairs.
Physicians represent the most powerful professional group in the health sector. Doctors
are permitted to work simultaneously for the government and in the private sector.
Those who are employed by the government but run a private practice because of their
low salaries, account for a large portion of private providers. Many other physicians,
however, cannot afford to open their own private clinics and work in more than one nongovernmental
religious or private facility, in addition to their morning government jobs.
The Egyptian National Health Care Provider Survey (MOHP/DDM, 1995) showed that
89% of the physicians in the sample have multiple jobs. The proportion of physicians
with two jobs (i.e. another job outside their private clinic) was 73%, while 14% had
three jobs and 2% had four jobs. The MOHP employs 53% of physicians with multiple
jobs, followed by universities with 14% and HIO with 11%. See table 8.1.7 for
distribution of physicians with private clinics by number of jobs (%).
Table 8.1.7: Distribution of physicians with private clinics by number of jobs
Number of jobs Percentage
One 11
Two 73
Three 14
Four 2
Source: Egyptian National Health Care Provider Survey, 1997
The remaining physicians include well-established and qualified senior physicians, who
are usually faculty members in the major medical schools or shareholders in modern
private hospitals. These physicians have the technology, the resources, and the visibility
required to run very successful and profitable private practices.
After the declaration of an open economic policy in 1974, the private health sector began
to grow. Between 1975 and 1990, the total number of private beds rose significantly.
Private care providers in Egypt range from large modern sophisticated hospitals, to
smaller hospitals, day-care centers, polyclinics and individual clinics
In the private sector, there is also a number of Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs)
providing care through polyclinics and small hospitals, which usually are affiliated with
charitable or religious organizations. Out of the various PVOs, the mosque clinics
operated by Muslim social agencies have become the stereotype of non-profit
organizations that are perceived to be popular and successful providers of ambulatory
health care in Egypt. PVO health services are increasingly localized in the larger
provincial cities, particularly those governorate capitals with medical universities and
teaching hospitals. Those in metropolitan Cairo are known for their quality medical care,
thriving on low-cost services that are readily accessible to low-income households, These
are mostly manned by senior to middle level university medical staff. Village PVO clinics
are scarce and are least likely to be sustainable.
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