Solidarity Ministry denies randomly testing citizens for drugs

CAIRO – 10 April 2019: The Information and Decision Support Center of the Egyptian Cabinet said it had contacted the Social Solidarity Ministry, which categorically denied rumor about a bill allowing authorities to stop citizens on streets for random drug testing.

The ministry pointed out that drug tests are limited y to employees of the state's administrative apparatus. Those tests are conducted under complete secrecy to guarantee information of employees remain private, it assured.

The Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction is intensifying campaigns to test public employees for drugs. Below is more information on the initiative.

Public institutions and agencies have to provide the fund with their employees' numbers, and locations.

An official at each entity will be in charge of communication with the fund.
In the past two months, samples were taken from 8,282 public employees at eight ministries.

Tests revealed that 250 public employees abuse drugs.
Employees who are found to be drug abusers will be referred to the Administrative Prosecution Authority.

Hassan Shallal, deputy head of Egypt's State Council and chairman of the legislation department, decided to form a committee to review an amendment of personal affairs' regulations of the Egyptian Railways Authority.

According to the amendment, an employee faces termination in case it is proven that he abuses drugs, Abdel Razek Mahran, head of the technical office of the legislation department said.

The amendments were submitted to the State Council for review in accordance with the legal principles and will be sent to the government for approval.

Amr Osman, assistant minister of social solidarity and head of the Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction, said earlier that the fund has tested 5,000 employees working in railways for drugs, and explained that some of them have tested positive.

Refusing to give an exact number, Osman said that the railway authority will later announce the figures.

The driver of the train locomotive that killed 20 people in February in Cairo's Ramses Railway Station after crashing into the platform was a drug addict, according to deputy head of the Parliament's Transportation Committee Mohamed Zain.