The Ministry of Health has placed a cap on the treatment costs for the coronavirus (COVID-19) at private hospitals at EGP 1,500-10,000, local media reports say.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health announced that the daily cost of treatment in quarantine units at private hospitals for patients requiring only isolation facilities will range from EGP 1,500 to EGP 3,000.
Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) with more severe symptoms of the virus will pay between EGP 5,000 and EGP 7,000 per day. Patients on ventilators will pay a maximum of EGP 10,000 per day for treatment.
Earlier Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly directed the Ministry of Health to set a ceiling on treatment charges for the virus at private hospitals which have received patients. The move was brought into effect to correct the exaggerated prices at some private hospitals which have been reported in recent weeks.
The prices cover hospital services, medical supplies, doctors’ fees, accommodation, and testing.
On Monday, Minister of Health Hala Zayed directed an increase in the number of ICUs and ventilators at all Cairo’s public quarantine hospitals, to provide critical cases with the required services.
In an inspection visit to Cairo’s quarantine hospitals, Zayed checked on medical teams and their undertaking of precautionary measures, in addition to checking the availability of medical and protective supplies.
Zayed also reviewed the application of updated protocols for coronavirus treatment, as well as the testing conducted for the virus at hospitals.
She asserted that there is an availability of an adequate stock of medicines and preventive supplies. There are currently 8m coronavirus treatment doses available for healthcare workers and others directly in contact with virus patients.
A further 500,000 doses of medicines are ready for critical cases in hospital, in addition to 2m doses for infected cases quarantined at home.
