An investment of EGP 10 Billion is required in maternal health to reduce maternal deaths to 31/100000 by 2030, according to an investment case jointly developed by the Institute of National Planning and UNFPA Egypt.

Currently, total maternal healthcare intervention costs stand at EGP 8.3 billion from 2023 to 2030, largely driven by labor costs. This investment would mean an additional EGP 2.511 billion invested in family planning and high-impact maternal health interventions, which could yield EGP 427 billion in economic benefits between 2023 and 2050.

The investment case was presented in an event on June 1, bringing together Dr. Ashraf El-Araby, President of the Institute of National Planning, Hilde Klemetsdal, the Ambassador of Norway to Egypt, Yves Sassenrath, UNFPA Representative in Egypt, Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, along with representatives from the ministries of Finance, Health and Population, International Cooperation, Planning and Economic Development, among others.

The investment case, supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, advocates for increased allocation for maternal health from the public budget and calls for increased investments on maternal health from international donors, to unlock this high-impact opportunity. 

Maternal mortality in Egypt stands at 41.3/100,000 according to the latest data in 2023. 

By expanding coverage of essential high-impact interventions, Egypt can avert about 806 maternal deaths and reduce stillbirths and neonatal deaths significantly by 2030. Such reductions not only save lives but also alleviate the burden on healthcare systems, families, and communities.

The investment case aims to highlight the benefits of investing more in family planning and high-impact maternal health interventions including improved health outcomes, empowering families and individuals and building a more sustainable future for Egypt.  

The event included a panel discussion bringing together Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Mr. Yasser Sobhi, Deputy Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mohamed Awad Taj El-Din, Presidential Adviser for Health and Dr. Maha El-Adawy, Former Director, Healthier Populations, World Health Organization.

In 2024, UNFPA and the Institute of National Planning disseminated an investment case to end the unmet need for family planning, which indicated that a total investment of EGP 11.1 billion is needed to reduce unmet need for family planning in Egypt to 8.6 percent by 2030, and avert 1.4 million unintended pregnancies.

Both cases reinforce the economic and social returns of investing in women’s health, strongly aligning with the ambitions laid out in Egypt’s Integrated National Financing Strategy, which positions women’s empowerment as a strategic pillar of national development.