Prime Highlights
- GAFI CEO Mohamed Awad said Egypt sees strong demand for investment in healthcare facility management and medical tourism, citing over 19 million tourists last year.
- The General Authority for Healthcare plans to launch a specialised investment fund for the construction, operation and management of healthcare facilities.
Key Facts
- GAFI is Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, responsible for promoting domestic and international investment in the country.
- The two authorities agreed to form a joint working group and prepare a formal cooperation protocol to strengthen healthcare investment partnerships.
Background
Mohamed Awad, CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), said there is strong domestic and international demand for investment in Egypt’s healthcare sector, particularly in the management and operation of healthcare facilities and medical tourism.
More than 19 million tourists visited Egypt last year, he said, and the nation’s affordable prices and cutting-edge medical facilities made it one of the top travel destinations in the region.
Awad made the comments during a meeting with Ahmed El Sobky, the General Supervisor of the Universal Health Insurance Project and Chairperson of the General Authority for Healthcare, to discuss enhancing collaboration to draw more investment into the healthcare industry in keeping with the state’s objective of enhancing citizen healthcare services.
El Sobky claimed that by enhancing the private sector’s position as a strategic partner in healthcare delivery, increased collaboration between the two bodies will hasten the implementation of the Universal Health Insurance System. He added that the partnership would also expand channels for promoting healthcare investment opportunities, reinforcing public-private partnerships to improve services and support sustainable sector growth.
He further said the General Authority for Healthcare was working to diversify investment models through partnerships and management contracts, outsourcing arrangements, and opportunities to establish and develop healthcare facilities. The Authority also planned to launch a specialised investment fund dedicated to the construction, operation and management of healthcare facilities.
Awad announced that GAFI would work closely with the General Authority for Healthcare to promote such opportunities by featuring them on Egypt’s Investment Map and including them in its investment promotion campaigns. The two sides agreed to form a joint working group and prepare a formal cooperation protocol to strengthen the partnership.
