The state council has on Monday decreed that the state shall treat those who suffer from chronic renal illnesses, like Hepatitis C, free of charge─even if they do not have health insurance.

The court maintained that the right to healthcare is constitutionally guaranteed to Egyptian citizens, and thus, they should be treated at the state’s expense.

The court also decreed that the state should allocate no less than 3% of its annual budget towards healthcare and maintaining public hospitals and medical facilities─a rate that should increase annually, until international healthcare standards are met.

This came as part of a ruling on a case brought before the court by a man who was reportedly refused treatment for Hepatitis C. He will be given a court-ordered compensation of EGP 20,000.

He had reportedly contracted the virus when being treated for Bilharzia, after using contaminated syringes at a public hospital.