Medical Syndicate Clarifies “Free” Emergency Care: Services Funded by State, Not Gratis
Cairo, Egypt โ- september 3, 2025, 7:24 โฃPM โค- The Egyptian โmedical โฃSyndicate today issued a statement clarifying recent remarks byโค the โคMinister of Health andโฃ Population regarding the provision of emergency medical services for a 48-hour period. The Syndicateโฃ emphasized that these services are not free, but are fullyโ fundedโฃ by theโ state’s treatment budget, a practise established โคunder Prime Minister’s decision No. โข1063 of 2014.
The clarification comes as a response to potential public misinterpretation of the term “free” โwhen discussing emergency care. The Syndicate explained that the 2014โค decision, โrooted in Law No. 51 of 1981, mandates all university, private, and investment medical facilities to provide โคemergency โand accident treatment for 48 hours without upfront cost to theโ patient. However, the state is legally obligated to cover theโฃ full cost of treatment from theโข designated โฃ”treatment at the expense ofโ the state”โ budget.
The Syndicate outlined three key points โขregardingโ the provision of these services:
- Serviceโฃ availability is persistent by the geographical scope assigned โto each hospital, with potential patient transfer to โother facilities after stabilization, coordinated โwith the Ministry of โขHealth.
- Hospitalsโ are prohibited from โdemanding pre-payment for emergency services, but areโ entitled to submit financial claims toโ the โขstate – โฃor the patient if not fully covered – after โขtreatment โขis provided.
- โTheโ use of the term “free” can be misleading, as it implies โa charitable โคoffering rather than aโฃ state-funded service.
In light of this, โขthe Medical Syndicate โขissued several demands:
A call for all doctors and health facilities to submit outstandingโ financial claims โfor emergency services previously renderedโค where state reimbursementโฃ has not been received.
โฃThe establishment of streamlined and expedited mechanisms for disbursing payments โคfor emergency services to ensure continued high-quality care.
Increased state encouragement of private sector participation in providing healthcare,โฃ contingent on the reliable andโ timely paymentโ ofโ dues from theโค state treatment budget.
A public awareness campaign to correct the perception that emergency services areโข a “free grant” from healthcare facilities, emphasizing that they are state-funded.
The Syndicate affirmed its โคcommitment to โฃboth protecting patients’ rights toโข emergency treatment and safeguarding theโ financial interests of โคhealthcare providers,ensuring the long-term sustainability of emergency care services in โฃEgypt.
Related Coverage: