Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population announced on Monday the provision of free medical services to 90,000 citizens as part of the ‘Follow-up of Cirrhosis Patients…and Early Detection of Liver Cancer’ programme, which was launched in September 2019.
Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, said that the programme provides early detection services for cancerous liver tumours and free examination and follow-up for patients with cirrhosis through 74 follow-up centres distributed within hospitals nationwide.
Moreover, Waheed Doss, the Head of the National Committee to Combat Hepatitis Viruses, noted that ultrasound examination services and tumour analyses are provided periodically — every 4 months — to check on the health status of patients as part of the state’s keenness to alleviate the suffering of patients and their families.
Doss added that patients suspected of having tumours are referred to liver tumour treatment centres for confirmatory tests and to start receiving treatment. He also revealed that the protocols for treating liver tumours had been updated with the inclusion of two types of oral liver cancer drugs — Sorafenib and Regorafenib.
Furthermore, Wael Abdel Razek, the Deputy Executive Director of the National Committee for Combating Liver Viruses, stated that medicines will be given to patients with liver cancer during their first visit to 22 units for treating hepatitis viruses located in national institutes, Ministry of Health hospitals, and university hospitals.
Abdel Razek added that “the cost [the state bears] of treating one patient ranges between EGP 30,000 to 90,000 per month, depending on the type of medicine.”
