The General Healthcare Authority announced on Sunday that a protocol of cooperation for a coronavirus (COVID-19) awareness campaign has been signed with a federation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The collaboration will also see patients in need of medical care receive deliveries of medication to their homes.
According to the protocol, the authority will train volunteers nominated by the NGO federation on ways to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. The volunteers will also deliver medication to the elderly and patients with chronic diseases who benefit from the universal health insurance (UHI) system in Port Said.
The General Healthcare Authority is one of the bodies responsible for the Universal Health Insurance system, affiliated to the Ministry of Health.
The volunteers will, under the authority’s supervision, help in sterilising and disinfecting areas designated by the authority, who will provide the necessary materials for that.
Ahmed El-Sobky, Chairperson for the General Healthcare Authority’s Board of Directors, said the protocol focuses on training young people to contribute to the efforts to curb the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He added that Egypt’s youth have an important function in this exceptional moment.
El-Sobky also said that 4,500 elderly oncology patients registered with the Universal Health Insurance system, have received free treatment at home.
He added that this forms part of the initiative launched by the General Healthcare Authority to deliver treatment at home to chronically ill and elderly patients, to ensure their safety. El-Sobky noted that these groups are the most vulnerable to coronavirus infection.
