1.1 Million Egyptian Students to Receive Medical Check-Ups as Part of New Health Initiative

Minister of Health, Hala Zayed, has announced that some 1.1 million students across Egypt will receive medical check-ups as part of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi's nationwide '100 Million Health Lives' campaign, reports Ahram Online.

Set to be administered across nine governorates, the first phase of tests aims to detect everything from anemia to obesity. In a joint press conference with Minister of Education, Tarek Shawqi, Zayed added that this comes in an effort to detect diseases early as many Egyptians often live with undetected conditions and issues well into their adulthood.

A joint project between the ministries of education, health and population and the general Authority for health, the health initiative will also ensure that the appropriate medication is prescribed for those diagnosed with Hepatitis C and anemia. All medication costs will be covered by the students’ health insurance, with first phase of the health initiative ending on February 28th. 

Obesity in particular has become an issue in Egypt. Last year, a study by the University of Washington placed Egypt second in global overall obesity rates at 26.8 percent, behind only Saudi Arabia, while ranking first in adult obesity rates at 35.3 percent.

Main Image: Kyfamilies