Health minister reviews medical services offered to new Canal project workers

Health Minister Adel Adawy reviewed on Thursday the medical services offered by the ministry to the workers who served in the new Suez Canal project.

Adawy, in a statement, said 16 ambulances were deployed in four areas of the project to offer medical services to workers there as well as mobile first aid clinics.

He added that 196 accidents were reported during the construction of the new canal while 368 workers were treated on the spot by the ambulances there.

All hospitals in Canal governorates were put on high alert during the time the new canal was set up and a field hospital was set up in cooperation with the Armed Forces.

He added that ten persons, including a doctor, died during the project.

Medical units also made checks on 17,328 workers, most of them suffering from sunstrokes and snake and scorpion bites.

Also, the ministry was keen to monitor water tanks and food offered to workers to make sure they comply with health specifications, he said, adding that no food poisoning case was reported during the project.

He estimated medical services offered to the project at 28 million pounds, including 24 million for Canal hospitals, 313,650 pounds for ambulance services, 486,701 pounds for preventive services, 1 million for emergency services and 1 million for medical convoys.