Egypt's health minister Hala Zayed (Photo: Al-Ahram)
Egypt's Minister of Health Hala Zayed said an initiative for students' health care is targeting the inspection of around 1.1 million students in its first phase that will cover 9 governorates.
Addressing a joint press conference with Minister of Education Tarek Shawqi, Zayed said the initiative aims at early diagnosis of diseases, such as anemia, obesity and dwarfism among school students. The campaign comes as part of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's "100 Million Health Lives" nationwide.
She extended her gratitude to education minister for exerting efforts to reform education.
The initiative is organized through cooperation between the ministries of education, health and population as well as the General Authority for Health Insurance, she added. The minister said medication will be prescribed to students whose tests are proved to be positive for some diseases such as anemia or Hepatitis C.
The students' health insurance program will bear the costs of any medications to sick students.
The first phase of the campaign ends February 28, she explained.
The first phase of the initiative started in the governorates of the New Valley, Menufiya, Qalubiya, Beni Suef and others.
Directors of targeted schools have been instructed to declare the inspection day a sports day to encourage students to undergo the checkups.
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