Stomach Turning

By Ahmed Mansour April was a bad month to be eating at Cairo’s Al-Azhar University dorm cafeteria, after a total of 600 students fell ill in two separate instances of mass food poisoning. There were no deaths. Angry students called for the resignation of University Dean Dr. Osama Al-Beid and clashed with security forces trying to disperse the protests. At least 10 officials were sent to trial for negligence. Last month in the Beni Suef village of Aqqad, 90 pupils at an Al-Azhar school fell ill after eating spoiled school meals sent to them by Al-Azhar in Cairo. Al-Azhar issued an official apology and, working with the Ministry of Health, sent a medical committee to inspect the food storage facilities and double check on the vaccination and medications provided to the patients.