How many phases are there in implementing Egypt's new universal healthcare system?

• A. Three phases
• B. Five phases
• C. Six phases
• D. Seven phases

Answer: (C)

Large-scale health reforms are typically rolled out in multiple phases to manage complexity, learn from early pilots, and build capacity before nationwide implementation. In this plan, six phases provide a practical path: start with grounding the system and setting up governance, move to pilots in limited areas to test the new design, expand to additional governorates, extend the new services and provider networks across the country, implement the new financing and risk-pooling arrangements, and then continuously monitor, evaluate, and adjust to achieve universal coverage. This phased approach helps identify and fix issues early, ensures resources and providers are ready, and allows for iterative improvements as the system scales.

Three phases would be too limited to cover governance, financing, provider integration, and evaluation. Five phases might miss one of these essential elements or combine steps too broadly. Seven phases is possible in some plans, but six is a common balance that captures planning, piloting, expansion, nationwide rollout, financing/governance reform, and evaluation.