馃嚜馃嚞EgyptNorth Africa
Egypt's Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction provides free services to nearly 70,000 patients in five months
via Egypt Today3 min read
A report released on June 11, 2026, details that 69,845 addiction patients received free treatment services through the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Substance Abuse's hotline "16023" during the first five months of 2026. These services, which include counseling, treatment, rehabilitation, and social reintegration, are provided free of charge and adhere to international standards. Males constituted 97% of the beneficiaries, while females comprised 3%. Patients utilized the Fund's 35 treatment centers located in 20 governorates. Cairo and Giza governorates accounted for 26% and 21% of calls, respectively, attributed to their population density and the presence of numerous treatment centers. The internet, particularly the Fund's Facebook page with approximately 2 million followers, was a primary source of information about the services. Hashish was the most prevalent drug among those seeking treatment 63%, followed by synthetic drugs, tramadol, heroin, and polydrug use. Patients themselves were the primary callers to the hotline 35%, followed by their mothers 12% and siblings 25%. Dr. Amr Othman, Director of the Fund, noted that bad friends and curiosity were key factors driving substance abuse, while loss of health 35%, improving one's image, and concerns about the future and family were major motivations for seeking treatment. The hotline also offers confidential and free treatment to employees using drugs, provided they seek help voluntarily before workplace
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Egypt Today.
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