Egyptian Health Minister, Khalid Abdel Ghaffar, conducted an inspection of the 137 Emergency Services Center and the national project for emergency and intensive care, "Racayat Masr", to ensure the smooth operation and efficient delivery of services to citizens. The minister aimed to review the latest mechanisms for receiving reports, monitoring critical cases, and coordinating their transfer and accommodation. This move is part of the government's efforts to improve the healthcare system in Egypt.
During the visit, Abdel Ghaffar emphasized the importance of rapid response to citizens' needs, stressing that it is a fundamental right for citizens to receive appropriate healthcare services in a timely manner. He also underlined the ministry's commitment to developing the emergency and intensive care system to ensure the speed and efficiency of medical services. The minister's visit reflects the government's focus on enhancing the quality of healthcare services in Egypt.
The minister reviewed the operations of the hotline, 16474, which is part of the "Every Second Counts" heart initiative and the stroke initiative. He observed the mechanisms for receiving calls, registering cases, and directing them. Since its inception, the "Every Second Counts" initiative has recorded 22,736 cases, including 7,490 catheterizations, 3,633 stent installations, and 363 pacemaker installations. The stroke initiative has recorded 1,371 cases since its launch in April 2024, including 15 cerebral catheterizations and 1,290 injections.
Abdel Ghaffar was presented with a detailed proposal for the "Command Center" project for centralized governance of intensive care. The project aims to establish an integrated system for real-time monitoring of critical cases across the country and tracking available beds, which will support rapid decision-making and case management. This project is expected to improve the efficiency of the healthcare system in Egypt.
The minister inspected the complaint and inquiry room, monitoring the work mechanisms from receiving calls to providing appropriate guidance. He listened to a random call about a poisoning case that was transferred to a doctor within one minute, praising the rapid response and efficient handling. Abdel Ghaffar also reviewed the operations of the 137 Emergency Services Center, which has received 999,766 calls, with an immediate response rate of 98.2% and an average of 83,314 cases per month.
In the "Racayat Masr" room, the minister reviewed the indicators for monitoring cases and accommodation requests. A total of 796,722 cases have been registered, with an average of 66,394 cases per month and 2,213 cases per day. Meanwhile, 225,907 cases were accommodated, with an average of 18,826 cases per month and 628 cases per day. The average waiting time has been reduced by 75%.
The minister also observed the mechanisms for coordination and connection in the main control room between the ambulance system and the "Racayat Masr" project. According to Dr. Hussam Abdel Ghaffar, the capacity of the system has increased recently, with 1,403 intensive care beds for adults, a 44.8% increase, 742 incubators, a 23.7% increase, and 603 medium-care beds for adults, a 19.3% increase.
Key points
- The Egyptian Health Minister, Khalid Abdel Ghaffar, inspected the 137 Emergency Services Center and the national project for emergency and intensive care, "Racayat Masr".
- The minister emphasized the importance of rapid response to citizens' needs and the government's commitment to developing the emergency and intensive care system.
- The "Racayat Masr" project has recorded significant improvements in the healthcare system, including a 75% reduction in average waiting time.
