The Egyptian Medical Syndicate has said a newly announced rise in monthly allowances granted to doctors and other medical staff is insufficient. Earlier this week, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi ordered a 75% increase in monthly allowances given to medical professionals at a total cost of EGP 2.25 billion, as part of government efforts to support members of the healthcare sector amid the coronavirus crisis. Under a 2014 law issued under El-Sisi, a monthly allowance of between EGP 400 ($25.5) and 700 ($44.5) is offered to physicians, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, physiotherapists, nursing staff, chemists, physicists, and medical technicians. This new rise means the allowance will now range between EGP 700 and 1,225: EGP 1,225 for physicians, EGP 875 for dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians and physiotherapists, EGP 787 for nursing staff, chemists and physicists, and EGP 700 for medical technicians. “The value of the monthly increase (after deductions) will be only about 400 Egyptian pounds, which is not commensurate with the efforts and sacrifices made by doctors, unless these increases are part of several forthcoming measures to improve doctors’ conditions,” the syndicate said in a statement on Monday. An estimated 60,000 Egyptians doctors work at the health ministry’s institutions, with salaries ranging from EGP 3,000 ($190) to 10,000 ($635), according to health ministry officials. El-Sisi has also ordered the creation of a risk fund for medical staff, a move welcomed by the union which suggested allocating part of the money for “disaster damages” and another for "supplemental" pensions for all doctors. He also ordered an exceptional bonus be awarded to all staff working at coronavirus isolation hospitals and other hospitals and central laboratories conducting tests for the deadly virus. Egypt has recorded 656 coronavirus cases, including 41 fatalities since the first case was registered in mid-February. The syndicate also called on the president to urge the parliament to issue a law for "fair" infection compensation that is in line with “the hazard doctors are exposed to”, a long-standing demand by Egyptian physicians. Since 1995, medical staff in Egypt have been receiving a meagre EGP 19 to EGP 30 in monthly infectious disease allowance, according to the Doctors Syndicate. Ehab Taher, a syndicate board member, told Ahram Online that a draft law to increase the infection allowance had been sent to the parliament over two years ago but it has yet to take any action. He says the law has not even been discussed by the parliament’s health committee. "All we need to is to raise the compensation to a minimum EGP 1500-3000 based on the level of infection exposure of every medical profession," he said. The syndicate also called on the parliament to pass a law on medical liability and hospital protection law. “Doctors are committed to performing their duty in all cases for nothing in return during these critical conditions the country is going through and will continue to…sacrifice to ward off the epidemic,” the syndicate said.

Egypt reported on Monday 47 new coronavirus cases and one more death, said health minister Hala Zayed. The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 656, with the total death toll rising to 41. So far 132 cases have fully recovered and left isolation hospitals, Zayed said during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. She added that the total number of cases whose test results have turned from positive to negative has reached 182. Zayed stated there are currently 26 laboratories across governorates to conduct PCR tests, and that there will be more in the next 48 hours. Zayed briefed Madbouly on the geographical distribution of the cases, and on the tracking and investigation work of the ministry s teams. They also discussed the availability of various medical supplies at the ministry s hospitals. Egypt s health ministry spokesperson Khaled Meghad said on Saturday that some villages have been isolated in 10 governorates in a bid to stop any possible spread of coronavirus. Zayed said on Friday that Egypt has a sufficient number of IC beds and ventilators and is being supplied with more. She told MBC Masr satellite channel over the phone that Egypt has a purchase plan to make protective gear available despite the global shortage. Egypt has already halted international flights, banned mass gatherings, shuttered cinemas, mosques and churches, and suspended communal prayers in an effort to slow the spread of the virus that claimed the lives of thousands of people around the world. A nationwide curfew is also in effect daily from 7 pm to 6 am until 7 April.

Egypt s health ministry spokesperson Khaled Meghad revealed Saturday that some villages have been isolated in 10 governorates in a bid to stop any possible spread of coronavirus. In a telephone call Saturday evening to news night talk show “My responsibility” on Sada El-Balad TV channel, Meghad told TV host Ahmed Moussa that the isolation of those villages was a precautionary measure. “The Ministry of Health isolates the villages after discovering coronavirus cases there, so [the villages] won t turn into a virus epicentre and spread it to other villages in the area, or the rest of the governorates,” he said. Meghad explained the isolation of villages included the closure of all roads leading to the village as well as banning any sort of interaction between villagers and outsiders for 14 days to stop any spread of Covid-19. “This procedure was followed in several governorates and achieved very positive results,” he said, adding that the 10 governorates include Red Sea, Al-Minya, Mounfia and Port Said. On Saturday, Egypt s health ministry announced that the total number of coronavirus patients jumped in to 576 after it registered officially 40 new Covid-19 cases in the country with 121 fully recovered patients and 36 fatalities.