World Health Day | Recommendations from the Egyptian Center for a Fair and Inclusive Healthcare System: An Urgent Right, Not a Luxury
In conjunction with the annual celebration of World Health Day on April 7, the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights reaffirms that the right to health is a fundamental human right and an integral component of the broader framework of economic and social rights.
The Center emphasizes that realizing this right requires serious and sustained commitment from all relevant authorities to ensure the provision of comprehensive and equitable healthcare services for all citizens, with a specific focus on the most marginalized and vulnerable groups.
Accordingly, the Center reiterates its demands for the following:
Ensuring Equitable Access to Healthcare Services
Significant disparities—economic, social, and geographic—persist in access to healthcare. Rural and remote areas, along with impoverished and vulnerable populations, continue to suffer from acute shortages in healthcare services. This necessitates the formulation of policies that guarantee fair distribution of healthcare facilities, services, and medical personnel, with a priority on meeting the needs of those most in need to ensure equity and justice in accessing care.
Increasing Healthcare Budget Allocations
Investment in the healthcare sector is an investment in human capital, the cornerstone of sustainable development and genuine social justice. Therefore, public spending on health must be increased in line with international standards to ensure the delivery of high-quality healthcare services that meet the needs of the population.
Developing the Infrastructure of Healthcare Institutions
Many hospitals and health centers in Egypt face significant challenges due to outdated infrastructure and a lack of modern medical equipment. Addressing this requires upgrading these facilities and equipping them with up-to-date technologies and qualified medical personnel to ensure the provision of effective healthcare services aligned with current medical advancements.
Enhancing Preventive and Health Awareness Programs
Prevention is the cornerstone of public health and a critical means of alleviating pressure on the healthcare system. The Center recommends launching comprehensive awareness campaigns aimed at promoting health literacy among citizens, with a particular emphasis on mental health and psychological well-being. Providing psychological support programs for workers is essential, as psychological stress significantly impacts quality of life and workplace productivity—mental health is a fundamental right, not a luxury.
Updating Health Legislation
Egypt’s healthcare legislative framework requires a thorough review to align with international human rights standards. In this regard, the Center calls for the amendment and modernization of health laws and regulations to ensure the protection of patients’ rights, the provision of safe working environments for healthcare workers, and the promotion of transparency and accountability in healthcare service delivery.
Focusing on the Mental and Psychological Well-being of Workers
The Center underscores the critical importance of workers’ mental and psychological health, which is often neglected in existing policies and legislation. The Center previously issued a policy paper entitled “The Mental and Psychological Health of Workers: The Overlooked Right in Occupational Health and Safety Standards”, highlighting the psychological pressures workers face due to socio-economic conditions, which may lead to serious mental health disorders negatively affecting all aspects of the production process.
This paper contributes to initiating a genuine dialogue and serious discussions around mental health as a key pillar of occupational health and a foundation for advancing and developing the work environment. It stresses the importance of safeguarding human capital, the most vital component of development, which in turn positively reflects on the overall productivity process.
The paper points to the deficiencies in Egypt’s current legislation, including Labor Law No. 12 of 2003, which focuses solely on physical health while neglecting mental health. Although the law includes approximately 32 articles related to occupational health and safety, attention to mental well-being is virtually nonexistent.
The paper calls for updating laws and regulations to include mental health as an essential part of occupational health and safety standards, in alignment with international standards endorsed by the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization. It also recommends improving the work environment by adopting preventive and psychological policies and ensuring that workers have access to a psychologically and physically safe workplace—ultimately enhancing productivity and contributing to the well-being of society as a whole.
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights calls on all relevant stakeholders—including the government, labor unions, civil society organizations, and employers—to engage in coordinated efforts to implement these recommendations, with the aim of building a fair and inclusive healthcare system that upholds dignity and social justice for all citizens and strengthens the role of workers as a driving force for sustainable development in Egypt.
Read the full policy paper here:
