The Egyptian Pharmacists Syndicate will hold a general assembly on 12 February in order to discuss a recent Health Ministry decision to ban pharmacies in shantytowns. Syndicate members sent an official letter to Health Minister Hatem el-Gabali in which they pointed out that implementation of the decision would deprive some 16 million shantytown residents of medical services.
The syndicate also objected to another recent ministry resolution stipulating that pharmacies be at least 40 square meters in size. Such a stipulation, say syndicate members, would serve to prevent fresh pharmacy graduates–of which there are roughly 3500 each year–from starting their own businesses, especially in light of prohibitively high real estate prices.
The syndicate requested a reduction of the minimum size for pharmacies to 30 square meters.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
