The Ministry of Health decided to expel the head of Sharm El-Sheikh hospital on Friday and referred him to investigation for his absence during work hours, the ministry said in an official statement.
Deputy Minister of Health for South Sinai Mohamed Dahy was mandated to temporarily take over the hospital’s administration.
The expulsion came following a sudden inspection by the governor during working hours, who discovered that almost none of the medical staff were present, except for a few workers. All absent members of the medical staff were referred to investigation as well.
Khaled Megahed, ministry spokesperson, said that during the 30 June Uprising anniversary events there were increased restrictions by the ministry on hospitals’ working hours that extended to annulling rest hours and vacation for the whole staff.
The ministry undertook unprecedented measures for health emergencies on Thursday 30 June. It said that there were nearly 3,000 ambulances stationed at the locations of rallies in Tahrir Square, Itihadiya Square, and other locations across various governorates, in addition to two helicopter ambulances and a Nile ambulance.
The rallies were also met with increased security presence and support from military personnel and police forces, unlike anti-governmental rallies, which usually end with violent dispersals.
More doctors were referred to investigation in recent occasions. In mid-June, Minister Ahmed Emad referred doctors at a hospital in Luxor to investigation after it was discovered that only three doctors out of 47 were present during working hours.
“There is no law that ensures the commitment of doctors inside public hospitals,” Emad said in the statement. “This is why there should be increased monitoring of their work, to prevent further shortcomings,” he added.
