His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, received Dr. Ahmed Taha, Head of the General Authority for Healthcare Accreditation and Regulation (GAHAR), accompanied by a high-level delegation of the authority’s executives to discuss the preparations of the hospitals affiliated with Al-Azhar University to apply for accreditation by the authority.

The Grand Imam said that efforts must be harnessed for the benefit of citizens, especially the groups most in need of health care, and it is necessary for the the relevant ministries, agencies, and institutions to collaborate closely to make a positive difference at the level of the system of health and medical institutions, such as hospitals, health centers, clinics, etc.

His Eminence also stressed the need to listen to citizens’ complaints, as they are the primary customers and beneficiaries of medical services and projects to determine the seriousness and validity of these services and projects. These complaints should be considered from time to time to improve the quality of the services provided, to ensure that they live up to the patients’ expectations, and to ensure the continuity and success of these projects in the future.

Dr. Mahmoud Siddiq, Vice President of Al-Azhar University for Postgraduate Studies and Research, and the General Supervisor of the University Hospitals Sector, explained that Al-Azhar has five university hospitals, three of which are in Cairo (Al-Hussein University - Sayed Galal University - Al-Zahraa University), in addition to the hospital complex in Assiut and Damietta. These hospitals are affiliated with 6 faculties of medicine for male and female students, in addition to the Islamic Heart Center, the Population Center, the Gamma Knife Unit at Damietta Hospital, and the Kidney Unit at Sayed Galal Hospital. He added that these university hospitals receive about a million citizens and perform about a hundred thousand surgeries every year. They also contribute to all presidential initiatives, such as the waiting list system, early detection of breast tumors, the healthy foot initiative, and others, in addition to a safe maternity unit at Al Zahraa student hospital, which has been opened recently.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Taha, Head of GAHAR, confirmed that the comprehensive health insurance system to which the state is paying attention will be completed by 2030 and will be directly monitored by His Excellency the President and supported by the government and all state institutions. It requires cooperation with all service providers from all sectors. He valued the role of health facilities affiliated with Al-Azhar University in serving patients.

Dr. Taha, Head of GAHAR reviewed the services provided by the authority in terms of issuing, developing, and applying national quality standards that have been internationally accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua). He stressed GAHAR’s readiness to provide all aspects of technical support and training to the medical teams at Al-Azhar hospitals and facilities to ensure their readiness. He praised the interest that the Grand Imam and the university leaders take to obtain the GAHAR accreditation, which is the main gateway to the comprehensive health insurance system.