“A black day in well being historical past.” Fears in Egypt in regards to the penalties of the legislation “renting authorities hospitals”.

The legislation “Giving Public Utilities the Duty to Set up, Handle, Function and Enhance Well being Amenities”, referred to as the “Authorities Hospital Lease” legislation, in Egypt, got here after its ratification by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Monday, regardless of protests from parliamentarians, the Docs Syndicate, and plenty of different skilled, social and authorized establishments.

The controversial legislation, which permits Egyptian or overseas buyers from the non-public sector to determine, function, handle and develop authorities well being amenities, was opposed by the Docs Syndicate, who believed it threatened the steadiness of the well being system, and never. carry any ensures for the supply of steady service to residents, particularly these with restricted earnings.

No ensures

In his dialog with the “Al-Hurra” web site, the Deputy Common Secretary of the Docs’ Syndicate, Khaled Amin, defined the explanation why the union rejected the legislation “fully within the type wherein it was introduced out,” and he mentioned, “As a result of it would not embrace any assure that there shall be a greater scenario, whether or not it is for docs, the work atmosphere, or the well being system. ” Or workers or sufferers who frequent authorities hospitals. ”

Member of the Home of Representatives, Maha Abdel Nasser, thought-about the Parliament’s approval of the legislation “a black day within the historical past of well being in Egypt.”

Abdel Nasser instructed the Al-Hurra web site, “The brand new legislation can have a adverse impression on the fundamental medical providers that residents want, comparable to any easy surgical procedure such because the appendix, as a result of all hospitals will will present these providers topic to lease with none categorical controls. established by legislation.”

The legislation didn’t specify a particular mechanism for contracting with buyers to handle public hospitals and well being items. As a substitute, it left it to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Well being to find out the suitable contracting methodology, whether or not via a public provide, direct settlement, or different strategies specified by legislation “Managing contracts concluded by public entities. “

The legislation exempted the federal government from acquiring approval from the Home of Representatives, in accordance with Abdel Nasser.

Earlier than Parliament authorised the legislation on Could 20, Egypt’s Presidential Advisor for Well being and Prevention Affairs, Mohamed Awad Taj El-Din, mentioned in tv experiences that “the problem of to lease out authorities hospitals being fastidiously and meticulously checked at each degree whereas guaranteeing. that the mandatory variety of well being care facilities shall be supplied to offer Companies to residents.

However Abdel Nasser mentioned, “It’s not identified which hospitals they are going to lease, and there are not any requirements for that all the things within the legislation is versatile and for low earnings residents, however no these percentages are unknown, in addition to how it will likely be investigated or the investor’s dedication to it.”

She explains: “If folks went to the service and had been instructed there have been no beds left, how would we be capable to discover out if the officers on this hospital had been telling the reality or mendacity, and we all know that in Egypt we’re mainly affected by its nice lack of hospital beds.”

The ratio of beds per citizen decreased from 1.42 beds per thousand folks in 2014, to 1.2 per thousand folks in 2021, in accordance with statistics from the Central Company for Public Mobility and Statistics, in all 1,848 hospitals in Egypt , which is 60% lower than the worldwide common requirements issued by the World Well being Group, which is about 3 beds per thousand folks.

In line with Amin, the variety of authorities hospitals that shall be beneath the management of the legislation is about 600 in a rustic with a inhabitants of 110 million folks.

A couple of years in the past, the affected person used to pay an examination ticket for a pound in authorities hospitals and get the medicines prescribed by the physician without spending a dime, however the ticket rose to 5 kilos, the then ten kilos, and just one drugs was given. and he had to purchase the remainder from his personal pocket, with nice problem to find a mattress If he has to remain within the hospital, in accordance with the Mada Masr web site.

The Deputy Common Secretary of the Medical Syndicate instructed the Al-Hurra web site: “We don’t see any guarantees that may obtain a constructive return, quite the opposite, the legislation offers the investor with to realize essentially the most worthwhile profit, hospitals that present medical providers to residents, with none assure to enhance the service, and due to this fact any investor. will definitely generate a higher return for him than if he had put it within the banks, which can give him a return of about 23 %.”

Amin doesn’t anticipate buyers to ensure free providers comparable to emergency and ambulance, and even to particular ranges given to the poor and low-income folks, “as a result of there isn’t a there isn’t a assure on this regard within the legislation.”

“Take away staff”

Amin mentioned, “It appears that evidently the investor is not going to cease growing the costs of providers, however he may also eliminate employees, apart from the legislation doesn’t present for guaranteeing the rights of employees in authorities hospitals. ”

He mentioned, “The legislation doesn’t compel buyers to retain employees, spend money on them, or protect their rights inside or outdoors the power. However, all the view of the legislation centered on how they will make all the things attainable to draw. buyers and making them comfy.”

Abdel Nasser defined, “The legislation permits buyers to put off 75 % of the employees within the authorities hospital, whether or not they’re docs, nurses, technicians, directors or any employee it is one other.”

Abdel Nasser strongly criticized this case, saying, “The legislation says that the federal government will redistribute those that are displaced, but it surely doesn’t discuss taking social facets under consideration any and can they be moved to locations appropriate for his or her household life. . Sadly, the social results of this legislation haven’t been studied.”

She mentioned: “Why is the federal government even giving the investor the precise to put off 75 per cent of the workforce, particularly as different concepts have been put ahead, comparable to coaching and qualification of employees and the placed on a take a look at? ”

“ship phrases”

The Minister of Well being and Inhabitants, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, had mentioned that there can be no burden on Egypt’s poor affected person, whether or not from the non-public or authorities service supplier, as there’s a constitutional obligation to try this.

He mentioned within the Home of Representatives that there are 64 million residents with medical insurance, and that numerous these can not afford therapy on the expense of the state. Subsequently, getting into the non-public sector doesn’t have an effect on those that can not get the well being service and it’s borne by the state.

The Heart for Different Coverage Options on the American College in Cairo believed that the legislation represents an extension of presidency insurance policies geared toward lowering public spending on well being “Since 2016, actual authorities spending on the well being sector has as a share of the gross home product to not exceed 1.6%, in clear violation of the Egyptian Structure, which states that this share shall not be decrease than 3 %.

Concerning whether or not the representatives had requested the federal government these questions, she mentioned, “Once we spoke to the Minister of Well being, we didn’t get solutions to our questions, and he mentioned that he wouldn’t be accountable to contracts with buyers and that there can be a big committee that will examine the requests they submitted.”

Nonetheless, she referred to the minister’s phrases by saying, “This complete dialog has been submitted, and I do not belief it, what I hope is within the authorized texts that earlier than us, which I see could be very versatile and permits any government physique the authority to do what it needs.”

“Pretend Session”

Abdel Nasser mentioned: “There are various issues because of this legislation, they usually turn into clearer when authorities hospitals are provided to buyers. “

The Mada Masr web site reported on the provide of six public hospitals to buyers, together with Mabarra Maadi, Heliopolis, and Sheikh Zayed, which is anticipated to convey good returns to buyers.

However Abdel Nasser mentioned, “They haven’t been proposed but, however they’ve been mentioned and placed on a preliminary listing. It’s doubtless that they are going to be offered as quickly because the legislation enforcement laws are issued.”

For his half, Amin mentioned that they as soon as sat with the Well being Committee in Parliament, “but it surely was a bogus session that was of no profit.”

He expressed his remorse about issuing the legislation and the way Sisi confirmed it: “There may be nothing we will do now however anticipate the manager guidelines and attempt to put these guarantees in them .”

However he identified that “the creation of the manager guidelines for legal guidelines is normally drawn up by the federal government away from well-liked steerage, the parliament, and unions, and if the federal government doesn’t take our opinion on the legislation itself, no it’s unlikely that they are going to. We are going to take our opinion on the working guidelines, however we hope we will do one thing to enhance it.”