The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health in Egypt. A study by the Egyptian Mental Health Research Institute found that the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress increased significantly during the pandemic. The study also found that these mental health problems were more common among women, young people, and people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
There are several factors that have contributed to the decline in mental health in Egypt during the pandemic. These include:
- The uncertainty and fear caused by the pandemic
- The economic hardship caused by the pandemic
- The social isolation caused by the pandemic
- The disruption to education and work caused by the pandemic
The government of Egypt has taken some steps to address the mental health crisis caused by the pandemic. These include:
- Increasing the number of mental health professionals
- Providing free mental health services
- Raising awareness about mental health
However, more needs to be done to address the mental health crisis in Egypt. The government needs to invest more in mental health services and make them more accessible to all Egyptians. The government also needs to work to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
In this research we aimed to:
- Identify the places where mental health services are provided to citizens of Egypt.
- Determine the suitability of these services for the most groups out of need.
- Determine the most important challenges facing receiving the service.
- Develop recommendations aimed at improving services accessibility for the most vulnerable groups.
This included a full mapping of the services available in different sectors such as:
- Outpatient services specialized in general psychiatry and psychological and family support
- Services provided to Women
- Mental health services provided to children
- Autism clinics
- Services dedicated to the elderly
- Electronic platforms
- Hotlines
- Pharmacotherapy in Mental Health institutions
- Anti-suicide services
In the report, we worked extensively as well on providing recommendations to most of the problems and the gaps faced during the mapping. Check the report for more details and numbers!