Egyptian lawmaker calls for free COVID-19 tests as Cairo accused of profiteering
The Egyptian authorities have come under heavy criticism for charging high fees for the coronavirus tests poor workers need to travel.
CAIRO — Egyptian lawmaker Samir Ghattas, an independent, called on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to facilitate free coronavirus testing during a March 16 parliamentary session, a few days after activists accused the government of taking advantage of the crisis.
Egyptian activists denounced the government for allegedly seeking to make money off poor laborers working in the Gulf. The hashtags “saboubet corona” and “sabouba” trended for days on social media. The word “sabouba” in Egyptian slang means a “quick buck.”
Several Gulf countries including Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia had imposed restrictions on visitors from Egypt, demanding certificates from the Egyptian Health Ministry proving they were not carriers of the virus. They stipulated that testing had to be done and authenticated by the Health Ministry within 24 hours prior to arrival to their states.
The Health Ministry offered testing for 1,050 Egyptian pounds (about $66), high fees for Egyptians, especially poor laborers. Results take three or four days. Quicker testing in a matter of hours is available for 2,500 pounds (about $158).
