The Minister of Health is in an open dialogue with the “Party Youth Coordination” about the health system
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population, confirmed that what is most discussed in the Medical Liability Law is the chapter on penalties, explaining that these penalties are not new, as the law transferred what is currently present and applied in Penal Code No. 58 of 1937 in Articles 238 and 244, indicating Until Article 53 of the Constitution Al-Masry stipulated that it is not permissible to discriminate between citizens before the law for any reason.
This was stated during his hosting of a symposium organized by the Coordination of Youth of Parties and Politicians, on “The Health System: Prospects and Challenges,” In the context of bringing the views of all parties closer together, as it is a comprehensive dialogue platform that accommodates all opinions.
In his response to the questions asked during the discussions, about A draft law regulating medical liability and patient protection. Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar explained that there were demands for its issuance about 20 years ago, and there was a repeated question from the Doctors Syndicate and MPs about why there is no special law for medical liability? He explained that each country differs in its laws from the other, but that There are examples of the law in all countries.
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar continued that the current discussions taking place around the law have many benefits, pointing out that the Ministry of Health participates in the law in the technical part only, and that when any law is presented there There are many steps to achieve consensus on the laws before they are approved and implemented, starting with submitting the law to the Senate and the House of Representatives for discussion, then submitting it to the Presidency of the Republic, and finally ratifying it.
The Minister provided an explanation of the articles of the draft law, explaining that among the most important texts in the first chapter are: Article 2, as it clarifies that everyone who practices one of the medical professions within the country must perform his work duties in a manner required by the profession, and Article No. 3, which specifies the basis for arranging medical liability, as well as Article 4, which specifies cases of absence of medical liability, adding In the new law, for the first time, there is a higher committee for medical liability and a technical committee for medical liability, and if the damage occurred from the action of the recipient of the service, medical liability is excluded.
The minister explained that Chapter Two specifies the rules that the service provider must adhere to in terms of By following established scientific principles and applying professional rules, adding that Article Six stipulates prohibited acts, and Chapter Three is what defines committees and technical expertise in the field of medical responsibility. The Constitution guarantees the independence of the prosecution and the independence of the judiciary, and the law does not prevent Litigation.
He said that the Supreme Medical Committee is responsible for examining complaints against service providers regarding medical errors and approving an amicable settlement, adding that there are subcommittees to examine complaints within a period not exceeding 30 days, which is a great guarantee that did not exist previously, as Medical error cases can take years according to current legislation. He also clarified that Article 18 stipulates that the competent court or investigating authority may use the report issued by the subcommittees.
The Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development added that: Chapter Four talks Regarding compensation for medical errors in terms of establishing a government insurance fund, he explained that the penal provisions in the draft law were textually copied from the Penal Code, so they are not new articles.
He pointed out that the draft law imposed deterrent penalties in the event of physical, verbal or verbal assault. Even by referring to the medical service provider and removing us from the current problem, is the service provider a public or private employee, as he stipulated the punishment for merely assaulting the service provider regardless of his place of work, whether he is governmental, private, or private, and he also stipulated harsh conditions. Punishment for Damaging the medical facility, adding that penalties for serious medical error exist in similar laws in countries such as the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Germany and France, and discussion on this issue requires constructive discussions and there is no good reason to harm a group.
The Coordination Representatives asked. and its members, regarding the article on pretrial detention in the law, the working mechanisms of the government insurance fund to contribute to damages, and the health council, as well as whether there is a need to define medical error and serious medical error, as well as the absence of any A section on the rights of patients and doctors and protecting the facility.
The representatives of the coordination and its members discussed that the penalty for damaging the medical facility is less than the fine imposed on the doctor, as well as covering the needs of the drug market and the decision to dispense infant formula, and the law on licensing medical facilities. They also discussed The need to issue a law on fertility, as well as the problems related to the assignment of health personnel, as well as the lack of assistance from psychiatrists in health units.
The Minister of Health and Population responded, saying, “The fears regarding the article 29 regarding pretrial detention, is legitimate, but pretrial detention has rules and conditions, and the union demanded either deleting the article or setting controls for the issue of pretrial detention, and stressed that the government has flexibility in the draft law and accepts all opinions and studies them.”
And about increasing the fine. Doctors from damaging the facility. The minister said that whoever damages a facility is not the same as someone who causes the death of a person. He also explained that the principle is to assign doctors and pharmacists The geographical need and the specialties themselves, as the number of pharmacists is 4 times that of doctors and dentists is two times that, and there is also a misdistribution of nursing, adding that two and a half years ago the Ministry of Health issued a decision to return to work according to the geographical and specialized need and it will be implemented during the year 2025. There is also an expansion in the establishment of medical colleges in the governorates and during In 3 years, the number of graduates will be 28 thousand doctors, and we are trying as much as possible to fill the deficit and compensate the doctors.
Regarding the fertility law, he explained that it has been finalized and sent to the Ministry of Justice, and it has been completed. Reaching a consensus formula with the Ministry of Justice, as well as with regard to the Medical Facilities Law. He said that the law is about to be finalized and will work to unify the authority for licensing, and inspection and oversight of doctors will be from the Ministry of Health only.
Regarding the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Khaled said Abdel Ghaffar said that Egypt entered the pharmaceutical industry in the late thirties of the last century, and there is strength and history in the pharmaceutical industry, and Egypt produces 91% of the medicine, and has also begun to manufacture insulin, and is on the way to exporting abroad, as well as in the manufacture of oncology medicines, explaining that Egypt It spends about 30 billion pounds on medicine, adding that we are qualified to be a pivotal country in the field of manufacturing medicines and vaccines, after the Egyptian Medicines Authority obtained the third level of perfusion from the World Health Organization.
Regarding children’s milk, he pointed out that with regard to milk Mother children and breastfeeding is proper nutrition for children, and artificial milk is not resorted to except in cases of necessity, adding that wrong practices have been observed, such as dispensing this milk to children who have passed away, and therefore procedures, governance and encouragement have been mechanized. on breastfeeding, and the controls are reviewed periodically so that no one is wronged.
And about the project President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for Human Development and the New Beginning Initiative. The Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development confirmed that the presidential initiative It seeks a health system that includes everyone, better education that contributes to providing jobs for the future, providing decent work for all, integrated and sustainable urban development, ensuring a decent life for all Egyptians, promoting the values of citizenship and authentic Egyptian morals, raising awareness and developing culture, and sports as part of daily life practice, Explaining that the initiative has now exceeded 100 days, and has achieved a lot Of tangible results on the ground, through integration and coordination between the services provided by all the ministries of the Ministerial Group for Human Development, and more than 20 development partners from civil society and private organizations, and the Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the cooperation with the Human Development Coordination Committee Praising what was proposed by the coordination members in This file is based on human construction, awareness, and mental health.
