The total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) fatalities among Egyptian doctors rose to 28 on Sunday, according to Egyptian Medical Syndicate (EMS) member Ibrahim El-Zayat. Earlier on Sunday, the EMS announced the death of Dr Gamal Abu Al-Ela, a consultant of internal medicine, who died of the virus. Talking to Daily News Egypt, El-Zayat added that the total number of confirmed infections among doctors battling the virus in Egypt has risen to 372. El-Zayat renewed healthcare worker demands that they be provided with greater protections against the virus. These improvements will see them provided with testing, personal protective equipment (PPE), and improved quarantining of infected cases. El-Zayat said that Minister of Health Hala Zayed contacted the EMS to meet its head, Dr Hussein Khairy, following his meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly last week. Khairy had met with Madbouly to open a direct communication channel on reaching solutions to protect doctors, as well as provide PCR tests and medical supplies. El-Zayat noted that the government has pledged to establish an occupational risk fund for medical workers, but added that no details on the financial dues have been released. El-Zayet showed Daily News Egypt newly published details, signed by the Head of the Central Department of Medical Committees, of coronavirus related deaths and infections among medical workers. The publication notes that virus-related infections will be dealt with as an “occupational injury” until the infection is added to the list of occupational diseases that may affect medical workers. Medical worker deaths that are attributed to the coronavirus will also be dealt with as death resulting from occupational injury, with those affected medical workers receiving all insurance rights. The EMS had previously called on the cabinet to apply Law No 16 of 2018 to medical professionals who have been infected or have died as a result of infection. The law had originally been established to honour security and military casualties as martyrs.
