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Egypt has been in the grip of economic turmoil ever since November when the government decided to devalue the Egyptian pound following pressure from the International Monetary Fund. Almost overnight, imported goods doubled in price, and pharmaceutical drugs were among the most critically affected.

The crisis has been made worse by government imposed caps on essential drug prices, meaning the pharmacies claim they are selling medications at a loss.

For Assignment, Ed Butler meets a woman whose mother has diabetes and a partially-abled man, both urgently needing potentially life-saving medication.

He finds some resorting to the predations of the black-market and undercover Twitter pharmacies to get hold of the medications they need. To prevent social instability, the government isn’t allowing shop prices to increase in step with inflation – but how long can they resist the pressure, and how long can sick Egyptians cope?

Ed Butler reporting and producing

(Photo: Donated second hand drugs in an Egyptian pharmacy)