Page 12 - Issue-27

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Classroom
Classroom

A Post Corona Prescription.

Holi da y Rul es
Holi da y Rul es
By Dr Ali A. Soliman,Visiting Professor of Health Economics, Cairo
University.

loses tens of thousands of MD's annually due to emigration . Many
The COVID19 pandemic caught us all unawares. The consequences
leave the profession totally due to low wages, difficul t working
were catastrophic with increased deaths, depressed markets and
conditions and poor health facilities. In the meantime, W estern
dismembered societies and transportation. The World had to search
countries opened their doors to attract these medical talents.
not only for suitable remedies and a potential vaccine, but also for
One silver lining of this severe epidemic could be ree mphasizing the
new packages of public policies to increase society's resistance and
importance of medical education especially for nurses and supporting
peoples immunity against such repeated epidemics.
health staff. It is time to attract talented students i nto medical
Also in Egypt, we have to prepare post-Corona prescriptions. That
education. The high cost of this educations discourage s many families
does not mean that we neglect immediate responses. On the
of desrving students from sending their children to me dical schools.
contrary, we should seek whatever measures available to contain the
We may emulate the practice in other countries that off er scholarships
spread the epidemic and the increase in the number of causalities
or advance loans to such needed professional trainin g. The Egyptian
that is expected to continue with us till the end of 2021. But in the
military hospitals offer free education to nurses and offer the m stipends
short term we have little room for maneuver. In the long term, we
during their training. They also offer graduate train ing opportunities to
have more social and national means that can increase our immunity their medical staff. Such a practice can be propagated elsewhere to a
to such epidemics, and insure, in the meantime, a high level of level commensurate with the seriousness of the epidemic.
It is also recommended to reassess the role of civic s ociety in the
health and wellbeing.
medical field. we should not forget that that the grea t hospitals
established in the first half of the 20th century were sponsored by
In this respect we suggest three possible measures.
charitable initiatives of individuals and voluntary asso ciations. Among
First, we have to strengthen our health system and especially
these were the Islamic Charity Hospital in Agouza, the Cop tic Hospital
improve the hospital care network including public, private and
on Ramses Street, and El-Mowassa Hospital in Alexandr ia. In addition
military hospitals. Egypt has already started an ambitious program
the Egyptian Red Crescent (which started as an NGO) contributed
towards this end in the last three years. Such a program reflects the
greatly in combating the Cholera epidemic that hit Egypt in 1947.
increased priority given by the political leadership to the health
sector. One major landmark was the President's Initiative called
Second, there must be greater attention and greater coo rdination of
"Health for 100 Million," which helped millions to check their
spending on medical research and the pharmaceutical in dustry. Egypt
health status. Also, the New Comprehensive Social Health
had a distinguished position in the pharmaceutical ind ustry since the
Insurance Law, approved by the council of Deputies in January
late thirties of the last century. Currently, local facto ries (some of
2018 was put into effect. It is now implemented gradually in Egypt's which are owned by foreigners) cover 90% of Egypt's needs. However,
we still rely on importing most of the active ingredient and basic
governorates starting with Port-Said. It will cover the whole
ingredients of drugs. This dependence creates a great security risk,
country in 2031. We believe that this comprehensive health
especially in times of crisis. Unfortunately, the fundin g on this sector
insurance system is the most ambitious social welfare law enacted
has decreased and many local companies were acquires by foreign
in the last half century. It covers all citizens regardless of their
interests. The field of scientific research and the product ion of basic
ability to pay, and implements novel ways to finance "Health for
ingredients for medicine do not get enough attention. I n fact some
All."The system is supported by new taxes on company profits,
Arab countries, such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia, have surpassed us in
additional cigarette and tobacco excises, and fees on driver's
terms of spending on basic medical and pharmaceutica l development.
licenses. In addition a fixed tax is imposed on individual's incomes
In this respect additional support is needed for the Vaccine and
that will garner more revenues as incomes increase.
Inoculation Organization, which belongs to the Ministry of Health.
Despite all of these new measures, the health care system in Egypt
This organization plays an important role in meeting Egypt's needs in
still suffers from the ramifications of years of neglect. We spend
this area.
only 6% of our GDP on health. Two thirds of this amount is spent
directly by the patients while the State contributes only a third. Third and finally: There is an economic aspect that we need to pay
attention to in this pandemic emergency, namely we have to create a
Spending on health worldwide reaches 8% on average, and in
system of unemployment compensation and social benefits to those who
advanced countries more is spent. In the US, this percent goes as
lost their jobs. These would include staff of transport, tourism and
high as 17% of GDP, thus outstripping what is spent on the army or
restaurants and other industry and service industries. In addition there are
defense.
millions in the unorganized trades and daily workers who lost their daily
wages as they are confined at home. Many of these are not covered by
In the past, Egypt was ahead of other Arab countries in the health
social insurance, or the support programs of the Ministry of Social
field. She was a forerunner in health education since the reign of
Welfare.
Muhammad Ali Pasha (in the early 19th century). She produces
more medical doctors than the whole of the Arab counties.
We need innovative solutions to address the ravages of a relentless
Nevertheless, Egypt
disease.
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