Health Minister Ahmed Emad Eddine on Monday ordered that patients who suffer visual impairment from injections of drug Avastin in a Tanta hospital be sent to a Cairo hospital for treatment at the state's expense.

During his visit to the patients in Gharbiya, the minister stressed that if they did not recover in Cairo, they would be sent abroad.

He added that a technical report conducted by a committee of ophthalmology professors revealed that Avastin is a registered drug in Egypt and is used by specialists in curing eye infections.

"The report showed a mistake in sterilizing the packages of the drug, which is the responsibility of the importing company," he said.

"The ministry has decided to close the company and refer the case to the public Prosecution for investigations,"