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Coronavirus: Egypt doctors accuse government over medics’ deaths
Doctors have accused Egypt’s health ministry of negligence in its handling of COVID-19 and said it bears “full responsibility” for medics’ deaths.
A union said on Monday that 19 doctors had so far died from the disease and more than 350 others had been infected.
It blamed a lack of personal protective equipment and beds for sickened staff, and warned the system could “collapse”.
The health minister insisted sufficient protection had been offered and medics had received the “best possible care”.
Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world, has so far reported 17,967 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 783 associated deaths.
The doctors’ union said the deaths and infections among its members were the result of the health ministry “falling short” of doing its duty to protect them.
“The health ministry has an obligation towards doctors and all medics who are sacrificing their lives on the front lines to defend the safety of the homeland.
“It is imperative to provide them with the necessary protection and rapid medical intervention for those who contract the disease,” it added.
With the outbreak showing no sign of abating and quarantine hospitals running at capacity, the union warned that “the health system could completely collapse, leading to a catastrophe affecting the entire country if the health ministry’s negligence and lack of action towards medical staff is not rectified”.
In response, Health Minister Hala Zayed said that since the start of the outbreak, the ministry had “ensured the allocation of a floor in every quarantine hospital with a 20-bed capacity to treat those infected among medical staff”.
Staff were tested for the coronavirus upon entering and leaving hospitals, and there were “sufficient stocks” of personal protective equipment, she added.
Ms Zayed also stated that 11 doctors had so far died, rather than 19.
The union’s warning came two days after the death of a 31-year-old doctor, Walid Yehia, who was unable to get a bed at an quarantine hospital in Cairo.
“His colleagues and I were with him, appealing for help, but there was zero response,” his brother, Ashraf Zalouk, wrote on Facebook.
Social media users contrasted Dr Yehia’s treatment to that given to the actress Ragaa al-Gadawy.
The 81-year-old was tested quickly for the virus and admitted to a quarantine hospital in the city of Ismailiya based on the personal recommendation of the health minister, news websites quoted her daughter Amira Mokhtar as saying.
Ms Zayed has reportedly ordered an investigation into the death of Dr Yehia and promised to take “all legal measures in case of any shortcomings”.
-BBC
Egypt Health Minister, Hala Zayed
Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, has toured a leading solar energy facility in Canada following the submission of a Letter of Intent and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for a proposed 270MW solar power project in his constituency.
The MP was invited to Canada to inspect the operations and technology behind AKA Energy Systems, the company partnering with the Gomoa Special Economic Zone to develop the landmark renewable energy facility.
During the tour, Mr. Obeng was taken through the company’s advanced solar infrastructure, engineering processes, and long-term energy management systems.
Senior officials of AKA Energy Systems provided insights into how the technology can be adapted to meet Ghana’s power needs while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
“This project is not just about megawatts. It’s about energy security, industrialization, and jobs for the people of Gomoa Central,” Mr. Obeng said after the facility visit.
He added that “Seeing the technology firsthand confirms that solar can be a real solution for powering factories and homes reliably.”
The 270MW solar plant forms the energy backbone of the Gomoa Special Economic Zone, a project the MP says will position the area as a competitive hub for manufacturing and exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
According to Mr. Obeng, Africa’s industrial future hinges on solving the power problem first.
“Too many countries try to attract factories before fixing energy. We are determined not to put the cart before the horse. Before industries arrive, the power must already be here,” he explained.
He noted that the partnership with AKA Energy Systems reflects a deliberate shift toward clean, affordable, and sustainable energy to drive Ghana’s next phase of growth.
The MP added that the project will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs during construction and operation, while also lowering electricity costs for businesses within the zone.
“The future belongs to those who prepare for it. With abundant, reliable, and affordable energy, Gomoa Central can become one of the most attractive industrial destinations in West Africa,” he concluded.
Negotiations on the final investment and implementation timeline for the 270MW facility are expected to continue in the coming months.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Elikplim Akurugu, in partnership with the Ga East Municipal Assembly, has begun rehabilitation works on the road leading to the Ga East Municipal Hospital to improve access and ease movement for residents and patients.
Speaking on the project, the DRIP Coordinator for the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Seth Agboyie, said the team had already worked on the Kwabenya stretch and part of Ablaje under its road reshaping programme.
He explained that although work had to be paused at Ablaje due to pressure, the team returned to complete the current stretch.
He noted that last year, the assembly implemented a programme where teams moved into each electoral area for about ten days to reshape major roads before moving to other communities.
According to him, the current works are a special intervention targeting roads that have become severely damaged due to the rains.
Mr. Agboyie added that the project had faced some delays due to heavy rainfall but resumed when the weather improved.
He said the team is working on a 1.2-kilometre stretch, with about 720 to 730 metres already completed.
He revealed that the intervention was partly supported by a GHS 14,000 contribution from the health workers at the Ga East hospital, which helped facilitate the works.
Residents of Dome-Kwabenya welcomed the project and praised the MP for initiating the road rehabilitation.
They said the intervention was timely and would ease movement, especially for patients and residents who rely on the road to access the hospital.
They noted that the road leading to the hospital had been in a poor state for several years, making it difficult and uncomfortable for patients, drivers, and residents who use the facility.
They explained that the situation often caused delays in accessing healthcare and increased transport difficulties, especially during the rainy season.
Some residents, however, urged contractors to ensure quality work, warning that poorly executed roads often deteriorate quickly.
They called for durability in the construction to prevent a return to bad conditions.
Others also appealed for more development projects across the constituency, saying additional road improvements would further enhance living conditions and demonstrate continued commitment to the area.
By: Jacob Aggrey
