From 20–24 July 2026, the Royal Thai Embassy in Cairo, in collaboration with the National Health Security Office (NHSO), organised a study visit on Thailand's Universal Health Coverage (UHC) system for a 12-member Egyptian delegation led by Dr. Hossam Abdelghaffar, Assistant Minister of Health and Population of Egypt. The delegation comprised senior executives from six Egyptian health organisations: the Ministry of Health and Population, the Universal Health Insurance Authority (UHIA), the General Authority for Healthcare Accreditation and Regulation (GAHAR), the Egyptian Unified Procurement Authority (UPA), the Egyptian Health Authority (EHA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) Egypt.

During the visit, the delegation met with Dr. Jadej Thammatach-aree, Secretary-General of the National Health Security Office (NHSO), and Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien, Advisor on Global Health to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health. They also attended briefings by experts from the NHSO, the Ministry of Public Health, the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP), and the International Health Policy Program (IHPP), the Healthcare Accreditation Institute (HAI). In addition, the delegation visited Wang Noi Hospital, Phayom Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, and the NHSO Contact Center to observe the implementation of Thailand's primary healthcare and UHC system.

Over the five-day programme, the delegation engaged in extensive exchanges with Thai experts on a wide range of topics, including strategic purchasing of health services, budget management, the development of Universal Health Coverage, beneficiary and provider registration, e-claims and reimbursement, internal audit, monitoring and evaluation, digital health systems, complaint management, patient referral systems, health workforce development, and collaboration among the public sector, private sector, and civil society, particularly Thailand's Village Health Volunteers. At the conclusion of the programme, Mrs. Urasa Mongkolnavin, Director-General of the Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs, hosted a luncheon for the delegation and discussed avenues for future cooperation. Lieutenant Sorawud Preededilok, Minister attached to the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), also attended.

At the closing session, the Egyptian side expressed its strong interest in expanding cooperation with Thailand in areas such as health benefit package development, healthcare accreditation, clinical collaboration, the establishment of sister hospitals, and health information management. Egypt also offered to share its successful experience in eliminating Hepatitis C and implementing a centralized procurement system for medicines and medical supplies. As Egypt undertakes a major reform of its healthcare system, it seeks to exchange knowledge and best practices with Thailand and establish long-term institutional partnerships between the two countries' public health agencies. Egypt regards Thailand as one of the leading examples of a developing country that has successfully achieved comprehensive Universal Health Coverage.

This study visit was organised under the Thailand–Africa Initiative (TAI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which aims to strengthen comprehensive and sustainable partnerships between Thailand and African countries.