CAIRO: The Doctors' Syndicate condemned surprise visits conducted by Ministry of Health inspectors to medical institutions, likening them to "police raids. Hamdy El-Sayed, head of the Doctors' Syndicate, said such visits should be conducted in a civilized way. "This is not a health inspector paying a surprise visit to a butcher's shop; they are dealing here with doctors and they are visiting clinics and hospitals with patients, so they have to put this into consideration, he said. El-Sayed explained that they are bringing the issue to light so that the Ministry of Health would consider an alternative way to conduct such inspections. He added that they are willing to negotiate with the ministry's officials to agree on an appropriate method to do so. "Both parties are doctors, so there has to be respect for the profession, said El-Sayed, "the ministry's official should come and inspect the infrastructure, write down notes which he or she should point out to the doctor in charge. They should later pay the hospital another visit to make sure the changes requested were implemented, he explained. According to local news reports, El-Sayed indicated that there are a number of requirements laid down by the ministry to medical infrastructures that are difficult, if not impossible, to meet. "There are some requirements that need to be enforced on big hospitals but are not necessary for smaller-scale hospitals and clinics, so this also needs to be changed, he said.
