The General Secretariat for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Population, announced that the Secretariat’s pavilion at the Cairo International Book Fair received about 115 visitors to inquire about services, and requests to receive free psychological counseling provided by the Secretariat throughout the exhibition period.
In a statement, the secretariat indicated that the community communication team of the Ministry of Health and Population in Cairo Governorate has made efforts to introduce the services provided by the secretariat and raise awareness of mental health in attempts to remove the stigma of mental illness among the exhibition’s audience, and distribute the secretariat’s free publications to them throughout the exhibition.
She thanked Dr. Lina Ibrahim Ahmed from Al Khanka Hospital for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment for providing free psychological consultations in the two wards.
It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Health and Population announced the medical insurance plan for the 53rd Cairo International Book Fair, which will be held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, from January 26 to February 6, at the Egypt Center for International Conferences and Exhibitions.
This comes within the framework of the ministry’s keenness to implement all preventive and precautionary measures for medical insurance for all events and various activities in the country, in the interest of the public health of citizens, and in conjunction with the measures taken by the state to address the Corona virus pandemic, in coordination with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.
Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Population, explained that the plan includes the deployment of 30 community communication teams, who roam the book fair’s squares, to provide health awareness to the exhibition’s goers and participants in the various cultural activities that are held on the sidelines of the exhibition, the most important of which is awareness of preventive and precautionary measures for the Corona virus, And follow-up commitment to wearing a muzzle, and maintaining social distancing to prevent crowding, and preventive supplies (masks, disinfectants) are distributed to exhibition-goers.
“Abdul Ghaffar” added that two centers were provided to receive vaccines against the Corona virus, inside the book fair arenas, to vaccinate the participants and visitors to the exhibition, as part of the expanded vaccination campaign carried out by the ministry to limit the repercussions of the spread of the Corona virus.
He pointed out the provision of 4 mobile clinics distributed in the entrance corridors of the exhibition, comprising medical teams to provide services to visitors, as part of the presidential initiatives “100 million health”. The clinics were also provided with emergency medicines, analgesics, and medical and preventive supplies, in addition to the presence of a mobile car to provide medical services for women within the “initiative” President of the Republic to support women’s health.
“Abdul Ghaffar” confirmed the stationing of a medical booth to provide awareness and medical advice to the exhibition’s goers, and preventive supplies are available, as well as the publication of awareness banners in the corridors of the exhibition, in addition to displaying short video clips, inside the exhibition halls, to raise awareness of ways to prevent the Corona virus.
Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that 2 equipped cars were provided to encourage visitors to the exhibition to donate blood, in cooperation with the ministry’s national blood transfusion services.
He noted that two ambulances for medical insurance were stationed inside the exhibition, including a self-sterilizing car, to transport any suspected case of infection with the Corona virus, according to the established medical evacuation plan, with the identification of available hospitals to receive and deal with cases, stressing the raising of the degree of preparedness in all government hospitals surrounding the exhibition.
Abdel Ghaffar indicated that a team from the preventive medicine sector followed up on the application of all preventive and precautionary measures, and followed up the disinfection and sterilization of all parts of the exhibition throughout the day, in addition to periodic monitoring of food and water for restaurants and shops surrounding the exhibition, in order to preserve the health and safety of all participants during the period of time. Establishing the exhibition.
“Abdul Ghaffar” stressed the application of all preventive measures in all ports of entry to the country through quarantine, noting that entry to the country is not allowed until after reviewing obtaining a (PCR) certificate stating that the virus is free, in accordance with the decision of the Prime Minister, or obtaining an approved certificate stating that it is free from the virus. Receiving the full doses of one of the vaccines approved by the World Health Organization and the Egyptian Medicines Authority 14 days before arriving in the country.
For her part, Dr. Manen Abdel Maksoud, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, said that the Secretariat is participating in this year’s Cairo International Book Fair with two wings, the first in Hall No. (1) and the second in Hall (2) C21.
“Manen” confirmed the presence of (a doctor in each ward) to provide free psychological consultations, in addition to the presence of 9 teams to receive the public in the two wards and answer their questions regarding mental health and introduce the services provided by the secretariat, with the aim of raising awareness about mental health and addiction treatment and the services provided, to Contribute to removing the stigma of mental patients.
She added that the secretariat provides many publications on mental health and addiction treatment to be distributed to the exhibition audience free of charge, to raise awareness of “mental disorders in children and adolescents”, “mental health of adolescents and the prevention of addiction”, and “how to quit smoking”.
Dr. Manen Abdel-Maksoud pointed out that more than 10 awareness videos are shown to introduce mental illnesses and disorders of children and adolescents, as well as the distribution of the “Mental Health in the Time of the Corona Crisis” booklet, and a “Guide to therapeutic services” provided by 21 hospitals and centers affiliated with the secretariat in 15 governorates. .