President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has announced that the state will provide free treatment to military personnel infected with hepatitis C, Al-Ahram Arabic reported.
El-Sisi made the announcement on Saturday when he participated in an iftar banquet hosted by the Long Live Egypt fund which solicits donations in order to support patriotic causes.
Egypt has the highest prevalence rate of hepatitis C in the world, with around 12 million Egyptians suffering from the virus.
In May, El-Sisi proposed a new deal to buy one million doses of new drugs that treat the disease, in addition to the existing agreement with the health ministry with the manufacturers of Sovaldi to obtain the drug at below market price.
Speaking on Saturday, the president said that the establishment of the Long Live Egypt fund, which is administered by the Egyptian government, aimed to create a better future for Egyptians and to maintain the Egyptian state.
During the banquet, El-Sisi urged the fund to maintain planned projects which include providing hepatitis C medication, developing informal settlements and mobile clinics.
The banquet was also attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayyeb, Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church and a group of senior statesmen, ministers, businessmen, journalists, intellectuals and politicians.
Source: Ahram Online
