Government on alert to meet citizens' needs during Ramadan

CAIRO – 17 May 2018: As millions of Egyptian Muslims started Ramadan's fasting on Thursday, the government’s preparations have been in full swing to meet the citizens' needs during the holy month.

In April, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi reviewed in a meeting with a number of ministers and top officials the government's preparations for the holy month of Ramadan.

During April's meeting, Sisi stressed the need to keep exerting efforts to control markets through tightening the inspection of retail outlets in governorates, ensuring the availability of commodities at appropriate prices, particularly in most needy areas, and preventing monopoly.

Egypt’s Prime Minister Sherif Ismail then ordered the government to multiply the quantities of meat, chicken, and other commodities starting from May 1 until the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

He ordered the government officials to ensure distribution and delivery of essential commodities to the largest number of citizens.

Quantities of oil, sugar, milk, beans and other essential commodities will be multiplied during Ramadan; quantities of meat and chicken will be increased to 10,000 tons.

Government's campaigns to ensure safety of food products
Governmental inspection campaigns and spot-checks have been launched to target food stalls, butcheries and the most popular meat outlets to ensure its safety and validity for the human use.

Also, large quantities of high-quality, reasonably- priced meat have been pumped into the market since meat is traditionally the main dish of the Ramadan breakfast table.
Mohamed Ayman, deputy governor of Cairo, said in press remarks on May 15 that the governorate permitted several mobile food product stalls to operate normally beside the Armed Forces and Interior Ministry-affiliated stalls.

Ayman added that these stalls are well monitored and are subject to regular intensive campaigns to ensure that the food products they sell comply with food hygiene regulations.

“If any of these stalls is caught selling expired food or invalid goods, they will not be able to run their business on the streets again,” Ayman stressed.

The governmental inspection campaigns also include supermarkets and major food outlets in all governorates; harsh penalties have been imposed on whoever would be convicted with violating food safety regulations.

Subsidized bakeries amend their operating hours
The Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade has begun to amend the operating hours of the subsidized bakeries to start at 8 am and finish at 11 pm in order to provide subsidized bread to the citizens before breakfast and Suhoor (a night meal before fasting).


A bakery for subsidized bread in Helwan, Southern Cairo- Egypt Today/Samar Samir

Working hours will be set for each bakery according to its subsidized flour quota. All bakeries will be inspected to ensure that the bread is sold at the subsidized price, 5 piasters.

Metro's operating time is extended
Minister of Transport, Hesham Arafat, issued orders for the Egyptian Company for Metro Management and Operation (ECMMO) to increase operating time in Ramadan at all three Metro Lines.

The operating hours for metro, the Egyptian subway, will be increased to run during Ramadan from 5:30 a.m. until 2 a.m.




Second line of Cairo Metro- Egypt Today/Karim Abdel Azizi


Chairman of the ECCMO, Ali Fadaly, stated that a total of 1614 trips per day were arranged at the three metro lines in an effort to cope with the increase in the numbers of passengers.

He added that additional trips will be prepared daily at the first and second lines in case of an unexpected increase in passenger count.

The main metro operating room and hot line are activated to assure smooth work throughout the day and to ensure receiving all complaints, suggestions and inquiries from passengers.

Egyptian hospitals operate during normal hours in Ramadan
Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said that there is no change in the working hours of governmental hospitals and emergency centers during the holy month of Ramadan, stressing that all facilities of the Ministry of Health will work normally.


Qasr al-Eini Hospital- Egypt Today-/Amr Moustafa


"The availability of blood bags at all hospitals throughout all governorates was confirmed by hospital heads," he added.

The month of dawn-to-dusk fasting is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslim communities worldwide as the month of fasting that commemorates the first revelation of a Quran verse to Prophet Muhammad.