Beheira Governor Mohamed Sultan and Chairman of Abu Qir Fertilizers Comany Saad Abul Maati on Monday signed a cooperation protocol under which the company will contribute to treating needy Hepatitis C patients in the governorate.

"The company will finance an initiative to treat the patients from the local residents with 2 million pounds," the governor said in statements.

He added that the protocol comes as part of efforts to encourage participation in solving the societal problems and developing the local community.

Figures show that roughly 15 million Egyptians currently suffer from Hepatitis C. Every year there are 170,000 to 200,000 new HCV cases.