New Initiative Offers Free Addiction Treatment for Homeless People

The Ministry of Social Solidarity has launched a free initiative aimed at treating homeless people struggling with addiction, beginning in Greater Cairo before expanding to governorates across Egypt.

As part of the programme, the ministry has allocated a public hotline for reporting individuals on the street who appear to show signs of drug use. According to the ministry, specialised intervention teams respond immediately to reported cases.

The teams include members from the ministry’s Rapid Intervention Team, the Fund for Combating and Treating Addiction and Abuse, and the Egyptian Red Crescent. The initiative includes street outreach, retrieval operations, transportation to ministry-affiliated facilities, and emergency medical support.

Individuals undergo comprehensive medical examinations, including screenings for drug use as well as associated illnesses such as hepatitis viruses and HIV. Primary care services are also provided upon arrival, including clothing, hygiene support, and psychological preparation before treatment begins.

In cases where individuals do not possess national identification cards, the Ministry of Interior will coordinate the issuance of official identification documents.

Once addiction is medically confirmed, treatment services are provided free of charge through centres operated by the Addiction Treatment and Abuse Fund and its partner institutions, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of Mental Health.

The treatment process includes medical care alongside psychological and behavioural rehabilitation programmes.

According to the ministry, discharge plans will also be developed in coordination with social support services to reduce the likelihood of individuals returning to homelessness or relapsing into substance abuse.