Uber and Uber Eats announced on Tuesday they are partnering with insurer AXA Egypt to provide 20,000 free trips and meals to the frontline healthcare workers in Egypt amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement, Uber said that the action was taken in close collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Health, aiming to ease the burdens of front liners in four quarantine hospitals in Cairo and Alexandria. Uber will introduce free trips up to 80 Egyptian pounds ($5.08) each, along with their insurance partner AXA Egypt, to help medics go to and return from work and to support their families' commute. Meanwhile, Uber Eats is committing to provide free meals up to 100 pounds ($6.35) each. "It is our role to help society by providing relief, especially to the medics who work tirelessly to fight COVID-19." Ahmed Khalil, general manager of Uber Egypt said. He added that "we will continue to look at ways to bring industries together, so that we can all unite in supporting Egypt at this critical time," "Our integral role extends beyond protection of our customers, to fulfil our role as a responsible insurer that plays a vital role in health care protection in our society." Khaled El Shaarany, board member and deputy CEO of AXA Egypt said. "We are pleased that this initiative enables us to show gratitude to the health care workers on the frontlines and provide them with additional support to address their needs and further induce their prevention measures in this challenging time," El Shaarany added. Uber has also launched a new feature that will give drivers on the platform the choice to opt in or out when driving healthcare workers. The company said it has also provided drivers and couriers with reimbursements for personal protective equipment (PPE) reimbursements, and communicates public health guidance on measures to fight the coronavirus to all Uber and Uber Eats users.
