Egyptian private hospitals continue receiving coronavirus patients: Ministry

CAIRO – 12 June 2020: The Egyptian Health Ministry denied rumors that private hospitals have refrained from receiving and treating coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, the Cabinet’s media center said on Friday.

Private hospitals continue to provide services to coronavirus patients, in accordance with the ministry’s guidelines and conditions, the center quoted the ministry as saying.

The ministry all news outlets and users of social networks to seek accuracy to avoid circulation of false reports in such critical times.

The Egyptian state has focused on refuting rumors and urging citizens to take information only from official and credible sources.

Those who intentionally spread rumors about the novel coronavirus can face a five-year imprisonment sentence, the public prosecution said late in March. In a press statement, the prosecution said that legal actions will be taken in conformity with articles no. (80), (102) and (188) of the criminal law.

Earlier in June, relatively flat rates have been set for coronavirus patients after receiving a massive number of complaints about the high prices demanded by private hospitals to accept patients.

Head of the Minister of Health Office Mohamed Abdel Wahab sent Head of the Central Department for Free Therapy and Medical Licenses Nihal al-Shaer a letter regarding the prime minister’s instructions to regulate and control the prices of COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals.

According to the details included in Abdel Wahab's letter, Minister of Health Hala Zayed agreed on following, “The cost of isolation in one of the hospital’s departments ranges from LE 1,500 ($93) to LE 3,000 ($185), the cost of isolation in intensive care, including a ventilator ranges from LE 7,500 ($464) to LE 10,000 ($618), and the cost of isolation inside intensive care without a ventilator ranges from LE 5,000 ($309) to LE 7,000 ($433).

These prices include service, supplies, doctors, nursing, and accommodation in full, as well as all the needed medical procedures, according to the letter.

Egypt has so far reported 39,726 coronavirus cases, 1,377 deaths due to the novel virus and 10,691 recoveries.