Six new outpatient mental health clinics and inpatient wards were established with UNHCR’s support at Abbasiya Hospital.
Mr. John Solecki, Dr. Menan Abdelmaksoud and Dr. Hatem Nagi marking the completion of the establishment of new clinics at Abbasiya Hospital. UNHCR/Nawar Rifaah.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), jointly inaugurated new outpatient mental health clinics and inpatient wards at Abbasiya Hospital on 9 June.
The inauguration event was attended by the Secretary-General of the Mental Health and Treatment Addiction Department, Professor Dr. Menan Abdel Maksoud, General Director of Hospitals of the General Secretariat for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, Dr. Rania Zakaria, Director General of Abbasiya Hospital, Dr. Hatem Nagy, and Assistant Representative of UNHCR in Egypt.
Following a joint needs assessment by UNHCR and MoHP, UNHCR established six new clinics in Abbasiya Hospital to increase its reception capacity and donated 100 new beds to the hospital’s internal departments. In addition, UNHCR procured office and electronic equipment for the outpatient clinics at the El Khanka Hospital and Abbas Helmy Center.
The support provided by UNHCR comes as part of the agency’s efforts to support and expand the mental health and psychosocial services provided by MoHP to Egyptian and refugee patients at three psychiatric institutions in Cairo and Alexandria.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the growing need to strengthen mental health responses. In light of that, UNHCR strengthened the support provided to MoHP in this field in Cairo and Alexandria to enhance the psychological and mental health services provided to both refugees and Egyptians,” stated Mr. John Solecki, UNHCR Assistant Representative in Egypt.
During the past five years, UNHCR has supported MoHP with medical equipment worth around five million dollars, including devices for early detection of breast cancer, dialysis devices, medical beds, intensive care units, and respirators while equipping many health facilities to support Egyptians and refugees alike. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNHCR donated personal protective equipment including surgical gloves, masks, gowns, and respirators to help protect health workers working at MoHP health facilities.
Egypt hosts 282,891 registered refugees and asylum-seekers with UNHCR. With the generous support of MoHP, health services, including access to mental healthcare, are provided to refugees and asylum-seekers on an equal footing with Egyptians.
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter
