Health Ministry launches 70 new HCV medication outlets

CAIRO – 10 September 2017: The Ministry of Health and Population announced on Sunday that it inaugurated 70 new outlets granting Sovaldi free of charge for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients all over the country. These outlets formerly amounted to 114.

In July 2014, the Ministry of Health signed an agreement with the American Company Gilead Sciences to supply Sovaldi pills for one percent of its price. Egypt has treated 1,800,000 HCV infected patients since 2015.

Later on, a number of Egyptian companies started manufacturing local medications similar to Sovaldi to increase the chances of survival among infected patients by 90 percent.

Furthermore, Egypt provided all local and international medications through the medical insurance, and established treatment centers for patients in various governorates. The state also encouraged civil society organizations to provide services to HCV patients.
The ministry’s spokesperson told Egypt Today that the outlets are mechanized, and that the medication is dispensed within few days following the diagnosis of the disease.
The prevalence rate of HCV reached 14.5 percent in 2008; a percentage that the state aims to curb by 2022.