Egypt’s Ministry of Health denied social media rumors alleging medical negligence in the treatment of the late media personality Abeer Al-Abasiri, a TV program producer who died after suffering a stroke, affirming that she received emergency medical care immediately upon arrival at a private hospital.

The ministry stated in an official statement that her condition was classified as an emergency from the first moment, and all necessary medical services were provided free of charge, including respiratory support, urgent tests, and circulatory support medications. The statement added that the 1400 Egyptian pounds fee, which sparked controversy, was not for treatment or clot dissolution but a charge for obtaining a copy of the X-ray films at the request of a companion. It confirmed that emergency treatment is a free right not subject to any fees or financial conditions.

The ministry explained that Al-Abasiri later suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while being transferred to another private hospital and underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation attempts but ultimately passed away. Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar emphasized hospitals’ commitment to providing all emergency medical services free of charge and without delay and announced an urgent investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

The death of the Egyptian media figure sparked sadness and controversy on social media, with accusations directed at the hospital for negligence in her treatment. Posts circulated on various platforms claiming that she was left for hours in the emergency reception without treatment and that the hospital required a payment of 1400 Egyptian pounds to begin clot dissolution.

One of her friends claimed that the media personality “waited more than 6 hours without any medical intervention, which led to her health deteriorating and entering a coma that ended with her death,” adding that the hospital refused to provide treatment before payment, arguing that she was not affiliated with Egyptian TV or the Cinematographers’ Syndicate, while she did not have the amount, causing significant distress to her family and the companion who accompanied her.