Egypt's Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met on Wednesday Ghada Wali, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Christina Albertin, the Regional Representative of the UNODC for the Middle East and North Africa, in Cairo to discuss boosting cooperation in issues of common interest. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, said that the meeting discussed ways of cooperation in terms of combating drugs, crime and corruption, within the framework of the regional action of the Arab countries, in a way that contributes to achieving peace and security and preserving the community health of citizens. Abdel Ghaffar added that the meeting dealt with consultations about providing a number of training courses for 21 psychiatrists working in mental health hospitals in Egypt next May 2023, on the implementation of anti-drug programmes, correct dealing with addiction patients, as well as opening new horizons for the training system in cooperation between the Ministry and the UNODC, through specialized trainers. He pointed out that the meeting discussed the importance of providing specialized training courses for doctors working in health facilities in border areas and areas with a density of immigrants from other countries so that these courses include training on (providing sound health services, especially for AIDS diseases, correct methods of dealing with mental disorders, combating drugs and dealing with them). For her part, Wali affirmed the provision of all means of support to the ministry to combat drugs, crime and corruption, in addition to supporting the ministry's program on treatment with opiates.
