Free smoking cessation services introduced at Egypt's public hospitals

CAIRO – 8 August 2022: Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Population Hossam Abdel Ghaffar announced Monday introducing free-of-charge smoking cessation services at 14 asylums and rehabs, and through 18 mobile clinics.

The Anti-Drug and Addiction Treatment Fund held in January a ceremony to celebrate providing a new batch of individuals, who recovered from addiction, small loans through Nasser Social Bank.

The fund's Chairman Amr Othman stated that the total financing disbursed through "New Start" initiative has amounted to LE5.5 million ($343,750). He added that the funding is aimed at enabling those individuals to start their own businesses creating a sustainable source of income for themselves and families.

Further, the Anti-Drug and Addiction Treatment Fund held vocational training programmes for more than 6,000 recovered persons, giving them accredited certificates from certified entities.

In December, General Manager of Preventive Programs at the Addiction Treatment Fund Ibrahim Askar stated in a phone-in that 6,000 former slum dwellers, who moved to alternative housing neighborhoods, Asmarat, Mahrousa, Bashayer Al Kheir, and Istabl Antar, sought in 2021 the free-of-charge treatment offered by the fund.