Egypt’s Health Ministry Shuts Down 17 Unlicensed Addiction Treatment Centers in Mokattam

Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population has announced the closure of 17 unlicensed addiction treatment and psychiatric centers located in the Mokattam area of Cairo. This action was taken due to violations of health regulations and operating without official licenses.

The decision follows directives from Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, the Minister of Health and Population, to intensify oversight on private medical facilities to safeguard public health and ensure compliance with required standards.

Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the ministry’s spokesperson, stated that a joint inspection campaign involving the Free Treatment Administration of the Health Affairs Directorate and the National Council for Mental Health led to the closure of the following centers: “Al-Tomouh, Freedom Foundation, My Freedom, Al-Naja, Al-Hayat, Al-Hurriya, Al-Noor, Life Raft, New Beginning, Ajeel, Different Life, Youth Recovery, The Winners, The Champions, Recovery Center, Dar Al-Noor, and The Preachers.”.

Dr. Hisham Zaki, head of the Central Administration for Non-Governmental Treatment Institutions and Licensing, confirmed that all legal actions are being taken against the violating centers while monitoring campaigns continue across all governorates.

Dr. Ahmed El-Nahas, head of the Central Administration for Technical Secretariat at the National Council for Mental Health, highlighted some of the major violations observed during inspections. These include lack of a qualified manager, operation without a license, inadequate infection control measures, absence of necessary equipment, lack of proper record keeping, and violations related to hazardous waste management.

These centers were found to be in violation of Law No. 51 of 1981 regulating non-governmental medical facilities as amended by Law No. 153 of 2004 and Law No. 71 of 2009 concerning mental health. Such violations pose a risk to residents.

Dr. El-Nahas urged citizens to verify the licenses of any facility before visiting or to report any complaints via the hotline at 01207474740 (call or WhatsApp) or through the official pages of the council on Facebook and Instagram.

The ministry reaffirms its commitment to ongoing extensive monitoring campaigns to deter violations and protect public health.