CAIRO: Seven students were reportedly diagnosed with Hepatitis C after being injected with insulin shots using the same syringe in Sporting Student Hospital in Alexandria. However Ayman Kamel, an employee at Sporting Student Hospital in Alexandria who refused to disclose his full title, told The Daily Star Egypt that "no such thing ever happened. The news was widely reported by Al-Masry Al-Youm, Al Wafd and Rose El Youssef. "These newspapers got their information from the [student's] parents, who have meddled with the truth, Kamel added. Kamel explained because these students are diabetic, they have weak immune systems and hence they are more likely to catch infections. He indicated that the students could "have picked up [the virus] anywhere else, like the barber or the dentist. According to Kamel, different syringes were used for each student, and that they came in a package containing syringes and insulin vials with each student's name. "Once a syringe is used it is, without question, discarded and never used again, Kamel said. Ali El Hegazy, manager of Sporting Student Hospital, said that there were only two children diagnosed with Hepatitis C in the hospital, yet he indicated that the infection was not caused by using the same syringe, according to El Wafd newspaper. El Hegazy told El Wafd that one student was diagnosed with Hepatitis C six months ago and is still being treated. The other has already finished his course of treatment after being diagnosed with the disease a year and half ago. The Ministry of Health did not deny the news about the seven students diagnosed with the debilitating virus C after being injected with insulin shots using infected syringes. Dr. Abdel Rahman, the media spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, told The Daily Star Egypt that the National Medical Insurance Authority will pay for the treatment of the infected students, regardless of the cost. Minister of Health Dr. Hatem El-Gabaly reportedly said that there will be an official investigation into the incident. The Minister also promised this will not happen again in the future.
