As the world experiences a surge in novel coronavirus cases, countries have reinforced and imposed new stricter safety and health measures and precautions. As these pandemic-struck countries brace themselves for new peaks, where does Egypt’s response-policy stand in the fight against the global pandemic? Well, we have a new website, hotline, and counting method that we’re going to tell you about briefly in the following paragraphs.
Vaccine Registration Website and Inquiry Hotline
The Egyptian Ministry of Health launched a website through which Egypt’s residents could register for getting the vaccine. Initially, the government is offering the Sinopharm vaccination; a Chinese state-owned vaccine that’s a bit more than 79.34% effective. Nader Saad, the Egyptian cabinet spokesperson, asserted in an interview with Lamis El Hadidy on her ON show, ‘Kelma Akheera’, that 500,000 doses are on the way.
While the website has been launched, registration hasn’t opened yet, as of the date of publishing this article. But according to Egypt’s Ministry of Health, it is expected to be up and running during the next week.
The country’s Minister of Health, Hala Zayed, stated that Egypt reserved 20% and 30% of its Covid-19 vaccine needs from Pfizer (95% effective) and Moderna (94.1% effective) respectively up till now.
Aside from the available volume of doses, when you get the vaccine will depend on your age, occupation, and health conditions. Priority groups in Egypt, much like the rest of the world, include frontline healthcare workers and patients with chronic illnesses, with the age of course being a factor such that older adults are given priority over younger ones. That makes sense because these are either the most in contact with or most vulnerable to Covid-19.
For Inquiries on the vaccination campaign and its details, contact the Ministry of Health at 15335 or 105.
Egypt’s Initiative to Count Uncounted Covid-19 Cases
We’ve all doubted that the numbers aren’t accurate, so, not to our surprise, a member of Egypt’s National Committee for Combatting Covid-19 told Lamis El Hadidy on her ON show ‘Kelma Akheera’ that it’s at best 10 times more!
The government’s response was to kick-start an initiative dedicated to counting unregistered domestic coronavirus cases. The ministry’s latest initiative to make the numbers more accurate focuses on including unregistered Covid-19 cases isolating (or unfortunately not isolating) at home to its daily tally of the disease through an electronic registry.
Starting January 6, medical teams will have the designated duty of visiting homes around the country in order to do so; as per Health Minister Hala Zayed‘s statement on Monday according to Al Ahram. Zayed added that 5,400 nationwide health units and medical centers will be responsible to follow up on these cases’ medical conditions.
Islam Anan, professor of pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacoeconomics, said that the newly launched electronic registry “aims to boost accuracy and get closer to the actual numbers which health officials need to know in order to prepare hospitals for the flow of patients,” in an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly.
This will help the government improve Egypt’s medical performance in overcoming this health crisis in general, and the relevant government officials could improve the necessary medical facilities and expand their resources accordingly.
The most pressing issue filled with question marks up to this day remains the struggle with oxygen tanks. A detrimental problem that allegedly resulted in deaths and where investigations are still open. The Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt is still, however, reassuringly positive or obscure on the matter.
