MP questions minister’s actions in baby formula shortage

CAIRO – 2 April 2017: Parliamentarian Essam el-Kady, a member of the parliament’s Health Committee, criticized the Minister of Health’s “accidental” knowledge of a milk company, Lacto Misr, which produces 35 million packs of baby formula powder annually, Youm7 reported.

In a Sunday statement, Kady criticized the fact that the government had to resort to importing baby formula on the back of a shortage that hit the market late last year while a local factory that produces such a large amount of formula.

Kady said the parliament will look into the Health Minister’s disregard of an offer by Lacto Misr company to provide the Egyptian market with its needs for baby formula. He said the committee will further discuss import contracts for formula.

In September 2016, there were severe shortages of baby formula, sparking protests by dozens of Egyptian mothers.

Lacto Misr is supposed to end the shortage in the local market as Egypt’s consumption of baby powder does not exceed 18 million packs annually.