Why Egyptians are struggling to find their medicines?

“There is indeed a scarcity in a wide range of medications, particularly those used for chronic illnesses like diabetes, blood thinners, blood clot treatments, and common cold remedies,” a pharmacist from the Ain Shams suburb told Ahram Online (AO).

In late 2021, Egypt was, notably, the ninth-highest country worldwide in terms of diabetes prevalence, with 9 million citizens affected, 90 percent of whom were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, said Hesham El-Hefnawy, the former dean of the National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology.

Alarming projections indicate that this figure is expected to surge to 17 million by 2045, placing Egypt seventh globally in terms of diabetes rates, El-Hefnawy added.

The pharmacist added that this shortage encompasses both imported and locally produced drugs, leaving many patients in a precarious situation.

Concerns about medicine shortage have been further echoed by elderly individuals, who rely on multiple medications, as they reported that imported medications, in particular, are increasingly difficult to find.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly had a meeting with the Minister of Health Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar stressing the need to take all the necessary measures to provide the needed medicine.