Sisi confers with health minister on drug shortage problem

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi met Sunday with Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Health Minister Ahmed Emad Eddin Rady to review efforts to upgrade the health system in Egypt.

Rady put Sisi in the picture about efforts to secure medicines in the country, especially after the price hike that followed the liberation of the exchange rate, presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef said.

Rady talked about his Ministry's plan to overcome a drug shortage problem through upping prices of some medicines and securing unavailable medicines - that's a short term solution, Youssef said.

He also pointed to a medium term solution meant to rehabilitate state-owned pharmaceutical factories, the spokesman added.

A long term solution would focus on expanding drug industry, Rady told Sisi. 

The president stressed the need to increase the amount of medicines traded in the market, Youssef said. 

He also pressed for action to secure imported medicines that have no alternatives, Youssef added.

Sisi also, according to his spokesman, called for intensified action to improve health care offered to citizens.

Source: MENA