CAIRO — One of two Egyptian initiatives to provide free medical treatment for citizens is receiving mixed reviews among those who find it admirable, those who say it's just a public relations stunt and those who think the state deserves neither praise nor criticism for simply "doing its job."
Police force members and officers, along with their families, already receive free treatment at Egypt’s police and Interior Ministry hospitals. On July 2, some of those hospitals opened their doors to civilians. In an official statement July 29, the Interior Ministry indicated its hospitals in Agouza, Alexandria and the Nasr City district of Cairo had provided free medical exams for 163 people on July 27. The Interior Ministry is responsible for law enforcement and security.