Horror Stories From Egypt - Pt 1
Often times we wonder why things seem to function so poorly in Egypt. Yea we know the government is ill equipped and poorly motivated but it goes way beyond that. Corruption saturates every level of existence and disturbs the most basic of societies needs.
I’ll tell you a story experienced first hand by a close friend of mine. For the sake of his identity we’ll refer to him as “Teez Hamra” (ask your Arabic speaking friends for a translation) or TH.
TH came here from Egypt only a couple months ago. He was a practicing doctor in one of the hospitals of the interior ministry. TH has a billion stories about Egyptian hospitals that confirm my fears of getting sick in Egypt, like bugs and cats in the operating room but thats another story.
Of all the hospitals run by the interior ministry they have only 3 attending PhD’s. The PhD duties include training new doctors on everything from check ups to surgery. Their presence is vital to the functionality of the hospital and the skill level of the doctors. Out of the 3 attending PhD’s one was completely unable to perform surgery due to a lack of knowledge and one was over 70 years old and physically unable, leaving only one functional PhD capable of instructing Doctors through surgery.
This particular PhD was divorced but remarried a woman who was also formerly divorced. Her ex-husband happened to be the chief adviser to President Hosni Mubarak. Do you see where this is going yet?
When her ex-husband, the chief adviser, found out who she married he decided to take his revenge on the poor fellow. Shortly after the wedding the PhD of the hospital received orders from the interior ministry stating he has been relocated to a clinic in Assuit, (A.K.A. the middle of no where.) the only capable surgeon for all the interior ministry hospitals in Cairo, relocated to a clinic down south where the most common medical emergencies are “I got kicked in the head by a donkey” and “Could you cut off my daughters clitoris?”
So who is training Egypts doctors now? What will patients do when they walk into a hospital full of untrained, inexperienced doctors? All for a woman!
This is the backwardness of Egypt.
First of all I think this is a horrible story that a guy gets transferred for marrying a VIP’s ex… but:
September 12th, 2007 at 5:01 pm“All for a woman!This is the backwardness of Egypt” ??? Its not that it was done 3alshan wa7da set… It wasn’t her fault… its the fault of the system that allows for this kinda crap to go unpunished… even encouraged by the system itself…
As for the medical emergencies of Assuit are being kicked in the head by a donkey and getting clits cut - it is very stereotypical to say that… but I guess who ever told you that the ministry of interior affairs gives a crap about the affairs of people?
That’s one horrible story!
Btw, we’re on for this weekend!
September 12th, 2007 at 9:16 pmtesting
September 13th, 2007 at 9:18 am(ahlan, ya Isis
The very fact that a public servant has that kind of power to move people around for personal reasons is rather disturbing.
September 14th, 2007 at 3:10 pmHi…I Googled for egypt arabic, but found your page about Horror Stories From Egypt - Pt 1…and have to say thanks. nice read.
December 31st, 2007 at 11:02 amHmmm, this is indeed a bad story, which if you compared it with the daily stories in Egypt it would poorly score.
March 27th, 2008 at 1:11 pmBut my question here is, from where did you get the statistics sayins there are only 3 PHD? in Cairo!!!!
This can’t be for sure, as I know personaly 4 that holds PHDs and currently living in Cairo.
I would love to see your source of information.
Regards,
ummmhh,,for me,, for what the adviser has done,he’s losing his own people.he should forcely take over the duty of the kicked out limited ph’d hospital attendant..
September 23rd, 2009 at 7:14 pmso that he’ll understand the importance of lossing pride if necessary…
its my pleasure for you in letting me leave a commentation about your story..im a filipino by the way.
I really don’t appreciate you guys talking about my country in such way , I know we have issues in Egypt but who said all countries are perfect ???
February 18th, 2010 at 3:46 amI’m sorry but we do have a lot of PhD’s in Cairo , in my own family alone we have 10 doctors , one of them happens to be the dean of one of the major medical schools in Cairo , so please stop talking bullshit about Egyptians .
and this is not a horror story at all , you could change its name to a ridiculous story !