A long-term partnership agreement to cure patients with Hepatitis C was signed between Etisalat Egypt, one of Egypt’s telecommunication companies, and the leading health and pharmacological marketing company Prime Pharma.

Etisalat Egypt will sponsor Prime Pharma’s  Tour n’ Cure initiative, in collaboration with the Egyptian Tourism Authority to provide treatment  for Hepatitis C patients from all around the globe. Etisalat Egypt said it aims through this partnership to support thousands of Egyptians who are awaiting treatment for Hepatitis C.

“We always aim to be a part of any event that contributes to  alleviating the pain of Egyptians,” said Gamal El-Sadat, chairperson of Etisalat Egypt. “That is why we took this opportunity and participated in such an initiative.

He explained that Etisalat Egypt will sponsor the treatment of 1,200 Egyptian Hepatitis C patients who cannot afford the treatment costs, as the first phase of the initiative in 2017. The patient selection process will be carried out by a committee that will assess all cases and arrange them according to medical priority.

The chairperson of Prime Pharma, Tamer Wagih, said that the medical tourism revenues are higher than any other tourism sector. “We must utilise Egypt’s high global ranking in Hepatitis C treatment, in addition to Egypt’s cost competitiveness in comparison to European countries.”

Tour n’ Cure will receive medical tourists from across the globe, Etisalat Egypt’s CEO Hazem Metwally said. “Foreign patients will be tested and assigned treatment plans. That will be followed by a trip to one of the Egypt’s touristic cities where they can enjoy their vacation without being burdened by high treatment costs, as Hepatitis C treatment in Egypt costs a fraction of overseas treatments.”