Surprise Visits To Egypt Public Hospitals Land Officials In Trouble

Health Minister Adel Adawy has referred for investigation the director of Nasser Hospital in Cairo’s Shubra district, the head of its ER unit and the head of its maternity ward following an early morning surprise visit to the hospital by a ministry official, reported Al-Ahram’s Arabic news website.

The three were referred for investigation after the health official reported that sections of the ER, as well as five incubators in the maternity ward, were found to be unavailable to patients, while the otolaryngology and ophthalmology clinics were closed.

Additionally, the official reported that the doctors on shift were found absent and the air conditioning at the kidney centre switched off.

Earlier in the morning, Minister of Health Adel Adawy summoned the top management of Umm Al-Masriyeen Hospital to his office after he found them missing at work during a surprise visit he conducted at 7am to the facility in Giza.

In a series of recent surprise visits, several public hospital officials have been referred for investigation by the health minister for violations.

A wave of doctors’ strikes had followed the January 2011 revolution, requesting improved working conditions and demanding that the budget allocated for the health care sector be raised from 3.5% to 15%.

Earlier in the week, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi directed all ministers to start work at the crack of dawn.

Source : Ahram online