Egypt forms Committee to oversee mental health clinics

EGYPT—Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, has announced the creation of a new committee to monitor the licensing of private mental health medical centers.

This effort is part of the government’s overall strategy to expand access to mental health care in Egypt, which has seen an increase in demand for mental health services.

This decision came after a meeting of the National Council for Mental Health, where it was determined that the newly constituted committee would be in charge of designing a standardized licensing system for private psychological centers.

 This move aims to streamline the process and ensure that all facilities adhere to uniform standards of quality and service.

The committee will comprise representatives from several key organizations, including the Medical Syndicate, the Central Administration for Non-Governmental Therapeutic Institutions and Licensing, the National Council for Mental Health, and the private sector.

 Their role will extend beyond mere licensing; they will also work to establish protocols for automating private facilities and implementing a centralized patient registration system.

A crucial aspect of this new regulatory framework is the emphasis on incorporating artificial intelligence to analyze patient data.

Abdel Ghaffar highlighted AI’s potential to enhance medical and educational outcomes while stressing the importance of maintaining strict privacy and confidentiality measures.

This technological advancement is expected to play a crucial role in the future of mental health care in Egypt.

In addition, Abdel Ghaffar has highlighted the need for more stringent regulations governing psychologists.

He called for mandatory training in the latest scientific methods to ensure that mental health professionals are up-to-date with current practices and advancements.

Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the ministry’s official spokesperson, provided further details on the new training initiatives.

He revealed that the National Council for Mental Health will be accredited to offer psychotherapy training for non-psychiatrist psychotherapists in collaboration with the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Drug Abuse.

Egypt now has 223 mental health facilities with a total capacity of 11,628 beds, 1,747 of which are dedicated to addiction treatment in government hospitals and 4,508 in private facilities.

Over the last year, 55,057 people sought treatment at mental facilities, with 19,528 receiving care in public institutions and 35,529 in private.

Additionally, 51,673 patients were discharged, with 18,564 from government hospitals and 33,109 from private ones.