Acting Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar witnessed on Saturday the opening of the seventh Conference of the General Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment.
The conference is being held over two days at the Princess Fatima Academy for Vocational Education.
During the opening session, the minister stressed that the political leadership pays great attention to the issue of mental health support for citizens and to develop and rehabilitate the skills of mental healthcare providers.
He also referred to exerted efforts to activate the National Council for Mental Health and to hold its meetings periodically to come up with recommendations that are reflected in the interest of Egyptian citizens.
Furthermore, the minister praised the effective role provided by the General Secretariat for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment that is headed by Dr. Manen Abdel-Maqsoud to take care of the mental health of citizens.
Moreover, the minister stressed the importance of doctors joining the mental health specialty within the Egyptian fellowship programme and postgraduate programmes in medical colleges because of its effective role that is no less important than other medical specialties, pointing to the peoples’ continuous need for psychological support, especially in light of the crises the world is going through.
Meanwhile, Ahmed Okasha — a Professor of Psychiatry and Presidential Adviser for Mental Health and Societal Harmony — said that psychiatry is one of the most important foundations and pillars of societies, pointing to the need to urge doctors to join psychiatry specialties in fellowship programmes.
On her part, Abdel Maqsoud praised the expansions that Egypt is witnessing in providing awareness, prevention, and treatment services for addiction and mental illness.
