Egyptian health care cannot be summed up in one word – good or bad. If we talk in general about the medical system of this country, then it works quite acceptable, but if we try to analyze the situation that has developed in the modern Egyptian state, it is hard to believe that the medicine of Ancient Egypt was considered the most progressive and developed. To date, the sanitary situation leaves much to be desired, qualified assistance can be obtained only in large metropolitan areas of the country, regional centers and in some hospitals serving tourists.

Egypt has the necessary number of educational institutions that provide the country with medical specialists, for the most part they gain the skill of working in regional hospitals, working there with elderly doctors. Experienced and promising doctors with sufficient qualifications can be found only in large medical centers of the country.

The health insurance system in the country exists, but it is very poorly developed and, in fact, the entire indigenous population of Egypt does not have access to free medical services, they have to turn to paid medical care, which is widely practiced here. It is impossible not to notice that the prices for private medicine and other paid medical services are quite high. Most (but by no means all) of the working citizens of the country have access to free medical services.

About delusions and the real medical situation in the country
Claims that the medical situation in Egypt is completely unfavorable are somewhat exaggerated. The fact is that in places remote from civilization (old aboriginal villages, for example) it is really difficult to find adequate medical care, but in places where tourists gather, health care is quite consistent with European standards. Scattered information about the level of medicine is also related to the fact that it is relatively easy to get a disease in Egypt – climate features and proximity to nature affect.

In recent years, a new surgical center (Cairo), a clinical center of dentistry (a suburb of the capital) has been built in Egypt. The Ministry of Health of the country has departments that deal with the health of rural residents, the problem of school hygiene; it keeps track of laboratories and public health institutes, many hospitals and pharmacies. This approach undoubtedly has positive results – the death rate in the country is decreasing every year.

Another common misconception among many foreigners is that the prices of all medicines in Egypt are prohibitively high, and their availability and quality suffer greatly. In fact, since 1952, the government began to carry out a set of measures aimed at making medicines available to the general population, reducing the cost of all pharmaceutical products, that is, at developing and improving this market. For this purpose, the All-Egyptian Organization for the production of chemical, medical and pharmaceutical preparations was created.

The network of pharmacies is widely deployed, there is no shortage of common medicines, in most cases pharmacists dispense the necessary drug without a prescription. By the way, a doctor-pharmacist also works in pharmacies, but also a seller, each of them has a certain function: the first advises, advises, can measure pressure and even weigh, and the second only dispenses the desired drug. Medicines in the country have the usual European names, although there are analogues, for example, “no-shpa” here has the name “do spa”.

Tips for tourists and other foreigners
Travel health insurance is highly recommended, although not mandatory. It will significantly save money in case of possible diseases in the country, since all medicine for tourists is paid here.

A vaccination certificate is not required when entering the country, but a hepatitis A, malaria and fever vaccine is recommended. It is strongly recommended to observe the rules of hygiene in order to avoid possible diseases common in the country.

Despite the developed pharmaceuticals of Egypt (accessibility, international standard), it is recommended to take a small first-aid kit with the necessary medicines (antipyretics, painkillers, and those that may be needed for existing chronic diseases) on the road. Drugs of a narcotic nature must be accompanied by a doctor’s prescription, otherwise they may be confiscated. For import into Egypt, as in many other countries, a certain a list of drugs, it is better to familiarize yourself with it in advance (at a travel agency, customs authorities, the Internet).

It is impossible to drink tap water in Egypt, its use should be limited to domestic needs, for drinking it is worth buying bottled water or using tablets to sterilize water.

Medical care outside the major cities is of poor medical standard and quality, although minor illnesses are treated throughout Egypt. In severe cases, a trip to the Cairo clinic is recommended, and in emergency cases, you can contact the El Salam International Clinic, which is located in the Maadi district of Cairo, or the Anglo-American hospital, located near the Cairo Tower.