Health Ministry shuts off hospital for breaching A&E Law

CAIRO – 18 January 2017: The Ministry of Health shut off As-Salam International Hospital for a month for breaching the law by forcing a patient at the accident and emergency department (A&E) to sign a payment agreement worth LE 500,000 ($28,220).

The statement issued by the ministry on Thursday indicated that the patient filed a complaint against the private hospital and that the decision of the ministry was made after an investigation took place. It is worth mentioning that the decision allow departments and facilities serving inpatients to keep on operating.

The hospital’s act came against the Cabinet’s decree of treating patients in the A&E department for free for the first 48 hours; however, the hospital provided the necessary treatment for the patient who came in a car accident suffering from a traumatic amputation in the left arm, as well as pelvic and arm fractures.