CAIRO: The People s Assembly (PA) agreed Monday Jan. 15 to strip MP Hani Surur, chairman of the Hidelina company implicated in the recent infected blood bags scandal, of his parliamentary immunity upon his request, said MP Mohamed Khalil Kwaitah. The decision came after investigations proved that Surur s company license was forged and did not permit the manufacture of blood bags. Kwaitah believes that the case, which has caught the public eye in the past few days, has complex political, legal and parliamentary facets. Kwaitah told The Daily Star Egypt that the issue is still under investigation by the industry and power committee chaired by MP Mohamed Abu El Enein. During a joint press conference with Abu El Enein and Health Minister Hatem El Gabaly following a Shura Council discussion of the issue Saturday Jan. 13, Abu El Enein confirmed that the investigation is moving along and asked the public to distinguish between accusations based on personal conflicts between Surur and officials at the ministry of health, and the polluted blood bags issue. What I care about the most is the health of the Egyptian citizen, said Abu El Enein. El Gabaly stated in the conference that the issue has had its toll on the average donation of blood which decreased by 70 percent and implored Egyptians to donate, saying, Blood in Egypt is safe, safe, safe. The ministry has never reported any infection cases due to the transfusion of polluted blood between May 21 and July 12 of last year, [when Hidelina company was manufacturing blood bags], El Gabaly said. He also stated that the technical specifications of the bags are generic and strongly suggested changing those specs and replacing them with more strict, detailed ones. We are all for supporting the Egyptian Industry but with conditions that guarantee the health of our citizens, El Gabaly said. He confirmed that the investigation will be completed thoroughly and no one either from the Ministry or outside it will be spared from interrogation.
