WHO, Egypt launch national dialogue to strengthen public health response to substance use
The WHO, Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population, and the Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction have launched a high-level national dialogue to strengthen public health policies on substance use and support the implementation of Egypt's national anti-addiction strategy.
Held in Cairo on Wednesday, the dialogue was organized by the WHO country office in Egypt and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Population, represented by the General Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, the Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The event brought together representatives from several government ministries, parliament, academia, civil society organisations, Al-Azhar, the Egyptian Church, and other national stakeholders to improve coordination and develop a shared vision for implementing Egypt's National Strategy for Drug Control and Reducing the Risks of Substance Use and Addiction (2024–2028).
Participants agreed on a national roadmap outlining priorities across prevention and health education, treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration, legislative development, research, and monitoring and evaluation.
Substance use disorders remain one of the world's leading public health challenges, contributing to disease, premature death, and social and economic hardship.
According to the United Nations World Drug Report 2025, around six percent of people aged 15 to 64 used drugs in 2023. In Egypt, the National Survey on Substance Use conducted in 2021 found that 5.9 percent of the population had used alcohol or other drugs.
"In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the prevalence of substance use exceeds the global average, yet only one in 13 people who need treatment receives it," said WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy.
"Behind these figures are real people, many of them young, whose lives can be transformed through timely prevention, effective treatment, and community support. That is why strengthening the public health response to substance use is one of WHO's regional priorities," she added.
WHO Representative in Egypt Dr Nema Saeed said Egypt had demonstrated strong political commitment and regional leadership in addressing substance use, but challenges remain, including gaps in access to treatment services and the emergence of new patterns of drug use.
He described the dialogue as an important platform for strengthening cross-sector cooperation and ensuring that national policies are guided by scientific evidence and international standards.
Head of the General Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Dr Ayman Abbas said substance use disorders require a comprehensive, evidence-based response involving all sectors, adding that the dialogue would help identify national priorities in prevention, treatment, research, and policymaking.
Meanwhile, Director of the Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction Dr Amr Othman outlined the national strategy's key priorities, including expanding prevention programmes in schools and youth centres, supporting families through early detection initiatives, strengthening the role of religious institutions in correcting misconceptions about drug use, and increasing awareness of free treatment services, particularly in underserved governorates.
Cristina Albertin, UNODC Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa, stressed that no single institution can tackle substance use disorders alone.
"Strong partnerships across the health, education, social protection, justice, law enforcement, and civil society sectors are essential to address evolving drug-related challenges, reduce harm, protect public health and human rights, and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3," she concluded.
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