Madbouly Inspects Luxor Healthcare Facilities As Universal Insurance Expands In Upper Egypt

(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly conducted an extensive field tour of healthcare facilities affiliated with Egypt's Healthcare Authority (EHA) in Luxor, as part of ongoing efforts to monitor the implementation of the Universal Health Insurance System (UHIS) and evaluate progress in healthcare services across Upper Egypt.

The tour included visits to Karnak International Hospital and Luxor International Medical Complex-two flagship institutions operating under the comprehensive health insurance framework. The inspection came within the broader context of the Prime Minister's tour of development and service projects in Luxor, underscoring the government's commitment to expanding equitable access to high-quality healthcare, particularly in Upper Egypt, which has historically faced service gaps.

Major Investments in Healthcare

Luxor Governor Abdel Motaleb Emara highlighted the significant impact of state-led healthcare investments under the Universal Health Insurance project. He noted that Luxor was the first governorate in Upper Egypt to implement the UHIS and the second nationwide after Port Said, marking a major milestone in Egypt's healthcare reform journey.

According to Emara, total state investments in Luxor's healthcare infrastructure have reached EGP 13.5bn, supporting the development of six hospitals, 59 primary healthcare units, and one medical center. These investments have helped eliminate treatment waiting lists, enhance service quality, and provide advanced medical care locally, reducing the need for patients to seek treatment outside the governorate.

Expanding Capacity and Advanced Services

Chairperson of the Egypt Healthcare Authority Ahmed El-Sobky stated that 2025 witnessed the largest package of medical expansions ever implemented across EHA facilities in Luxor. These expansions are part of a comprehensive plan to modernize infrastructure, introduce advanced medical specialties, and ensure compliance with internationally recognized quality standards under the UHIS.

El-Sobky noted that Luxor's healthcare facilities have undergone a qualitative transformation, with several specialized services introduced for the first time in the governorate, significantly enhancing hospitals' capacity to manage complex and critical cases.

To date, EHA facilities in Luxor have delivered millions of medical and therapeutic services through a network of 60 healthcare facilities, including six hospitals, 11 medical centers, and 43 primary care units. Luxor also hosts its first“green pharmacy,” while 59 healthcare facilities-representing 98% of facilities in the governorate-have obtained accreditation under the nationally and internationally recognized GAHAR standards.

A Growing Universal Health Insurance System

El-Sobky revealed that more than 1.2 million beneficiaries currently receive healthcare services in Luxor under the UHIS. The governorate's healthcare capacity includes 896 inpatient beds, 242 ICU beds, 111 neonatal incubators, 241 dialysis machines, 41 operating rooms, and 10 MRI and CT scan units.

Plans are underway to bring additional facilities into service in 2026, including New Qurna Hospital, the third and fourth phases of Luxor International Medical Complex, and several new medical centers and family medicine units. Workforce sustainability is also being strengthened through six nursing institutes in Luxor, with a total enrollment of 2,320 students.

Among the advanced medical services introduced in Luxor for the first time are deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgeries-costing up to EGP 1.6m per case-endoscopic ultrasound procedures for gallbladder and pancreatic tumors, cochlear implants, complex pediatric bronchoscopy, free-flap skin grafts for severe injuries, and advanced vascular interventions such as EVAR and TEVAR.

Since operations began and through November 2025, Luxor hospitals have delivered more than 17.5 million medical services. Surgical procedures performed in 2025 alone reached 45,369 operations, while primary healthcare services exceeded 11 million. Facilities have also played a key role in presidential health initiatives addressing chronic diseases, women's health, maternal and fetal care, and early disease detection.

Karnak International Hospital

During his visit to Karnak International Hospital, Prime Minister Madbouly inspected multiple departments to assess the availability of medical supplies and the efficiency of patient care. El-Sobky described the hospital as a cornerstone of medical tourism in Upper Egypt, citing its advanced infrastructure and internationally competitive services.

The hospital has a capacity of 149 inpatient beds, 39 ICU beds, 44 dialysis machines, 10 neonatal incubators, and seven operating rooms. In 2025, ICU capacity expanded from 21 to 39 beds, and a new oncology unit featuring 12 chemotherapy chairs was inaugurated. The hospital also introduced intermediate care services and performed advanced brain tumor surgeries using state-of-the-art equipment.

El-Sobky added that the oncology unit was equipped according to the latest global standards, supported by advanced linear accelerators and highly trained medical teams.

The Prime Minister held informal discussions with patients in several departments, including oncology and neonatal care. Patients praised the quality of services, with one elderly cancer patient describing the care as“excellent-ten out of ten.”

El-Sobky highlighted a case illustrating the UHIS impact: a six-year-old girl underwent a surgery costing EGP 3.6m, while her family paid only EGP 428, with the state covering the remaining cost.

Luxor International Medical Complex

Madbouly also inspected Luxor International Medical Complex, which El-Sobky described as the“icon of healthcare in Luxor” and the primary referral center for complex cases across Upper Egypt. The complex offers advanced services including burn care, open-heart surgery, bone marrow transplantation, gastrointestinal oncology endoscopy, and complex orthopedic procedures.

The facility comprises 373 inpatient beds, 57 ICU beds, 26 incubators, 13 operating rooms, 22 dialysis beds, and advanced imaging units. Since its inauguration, the complex has delivered approximately 1.67 million medical services and performed nearly 33,000 surgeries.

Residents told the Prime Minister that prior to the complex's opening, patients often had to travel to Assiut or other governorates and wait weeks for surgery-burdens that have now been eliminated.

Concluding his tour, Prime Minister Madbouly praised the quality of healthcare services provided under the Universal Health Insurance System in Luxor, reaffirming the government's commitment to ensuring that citizens in Upper Egypt receive integrated, high-quality medical care within their home governorates, in line with international standards.

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