Want to help an addict? et guide highlights Egypt's treatment services

CAIRO - 10 June 2021: Substance use among the Egyptian population has recorded 10.4 percent in 2019, classified into trials, intermittent and continuous use, which has given rise to social issues, moral deviations, and different forms of violence.

The rise in the rate of addicts and drug abusers in Egypt has prompted the government to take concrete steps towards solving the issue and confronting its expansion by different means, including: heightening punishment by law, rehabilitation service and raising public awareness.

For those who seek addiction treatment, they can find free-of-charge treatment programs set by the Ministry of Social Solidarity (represented by Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and drug Abuse), in accordance with international standards and in strict confidentiality.

et provides steps for treatment seekers to go through:

1-   Addicts or any of their families can call the hotline (16023) of the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and drug Abuse (FDCTA) any time during the week.

2-   The calls are answered by specialized teams who register the data of the applicants.

3-     Free treatment services vary between follow-up calls on cases and calls for advice provided by centers in 14 governorates.

4-   The Fund provides counseling services to families on early detection mechanisms and how to deal with urgent cases.

5-   Treatment services further include psychological support, and medical services, as well as rehabilitation and relapse prevention programs.

6-   The patient is referred to the nearest center affiliated with the fund, or partner treatment.

Chairman of Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction (FDCTA) Amr Othman told press Tuesday that over the past five years 73,000 teenagers contacted the fund to receive treatment from drug abuse.

The official elaborated that 13,000 of those are aged below 18 and sought help from the FDCTA in the first nine months of 2020.

Speaking of figures on smoking and drug use, Othman clarified that 12 percent of high school students, and 8.8 percent of students at technical schools smoke.

The most common drug used among students is hash (58.9%), followed by cannabis (28.5%). The use of Tramadol, Strox, and Voodoo composes 22.7 percent, 14.9 percent, and 12.4 percent, respectively. The Apetryl and Parkinol use constitutes just 9.9 percent and 8.7 percent, respectively.

Othman stated that 270,000 public employees and workers have been screened since March 2019, and that at present, 2,000 are screened daily. He underlined that the drug use among them declined from eight percent to 1.8 percent.

The official added that the fund continuously carries out awareness campaigns that primarily target youth and teenagers.

Around 45,099 Egyptian drug addicts from January-May have benefited from the Addiction Treatment and Abuse Fund’s services through hotline 16023, Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine al-Qabbaj announced Saturday.

Of these, 92.84 percent were male and 7.14 percent were female, she noted.