Egypt’s Senate on Monday gave preliminary approval to draft amendments regulating work in university hospitals, despite sharp objections from opposition lawmakers and the Doctors’ Syndicate over provisions requiring periodic relicensing.
The bill amends Law No. 19 of 2018 governing university hospitals and was approved “in principle” during a plenary session marked by debate over oversight, licensing requirements, and the syndicate’s role in the legislative process.
Senator Mohamed Taha Aliwa, head of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party’s bloc, and Mahmoud Musallam, head of the National Front Party’s bloc, opposed the draft. Musallam called for the bill to be returned to the Senate’s joint education and health committee for further discussion.
Supporters included Mostafa Shawkat of the Protect the Nation Party and Hossam El Kholy of the Nation's Future Party, while Ismail El-Sharqawi of the Justice Party abstained.
Musallam criticized what he described as fragmented legislation, saying parliament should regulate all hospitals under one framework rather than adopting separate rules for university and private facilities. He rejected comparisons between major university hospital complexes such as Qasr El-Ainy and smaller private institutions.
Doctors’ Syndicate rejects draft
The Doctors’ Syndicate announced on Sunday that it fully rejected the proposed amendments, warning that requiring university hospitals to renew operating licenses every five years could undermine stability at facilities that serve medical, educational, and research functions.
The syndicate said no other medical institutions in Egypt are subject to a similar relicensing system, arguing that existing laws already provide for annual inspections to ensure compliance without threatening the original license.
It also warned that penalties involving partial or full closure could disrupt patient care and academic schedules and deter investment in the health sector.
Senator Sayed Abdel Aal of the Tagammu Party urged lawmakers to take the syndicate’s objections into account. Senator Hossam El-Malahy, who is also the President of Nahda University, however, defended the bill as long overdue, arguing that the syndicate has no formal role in determining the internal organizational structure of university hospitals.
Government defends amendments
Minister of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Mahmoud Fawzy said the government would consult with the head of the Doctors’ Syndicate but stressed that the legislation regulates hospital operations rather than the medical profession itself.
Nabil Deabes, chairman of the Senate’s Education and Research Committee, defended the draft, saying the amendments were needed to address implementation gaps in the 2018 law and improve governance and standards across university hospitals.
Key provisions
According to the government, the amendments would expand the Supreme Council of University Hospitals by adding new members and granting it authority to set operating policies and licensing requirements.
The bill introduces a five-year license renewal system. Initial licensing fees would be capped at 200,000 Egyptian pounds (about $4,200), with renewal fees set at 100,000 pounds (about $2,100), subject to a 10% annual increase.
University hospitals affiliated with state medical schools under Law No. 49 of 1972 would be exempt from these specific fees.
