Egypt’s Ministry of Health has introduced sweeping increases to the cost of care at state-run psychiatric hospitals and addiction treatment centers, with some fees rising by over 300%, according to documents reviewed by Al Manassa.
The changes, outlined in Ministerial Decree No. 220 of 2025, apply to institutions overseen by the General Secretariat for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment (GSMHAT).
In May, the Cabinet approved the financial regulations governing the Service Improvement Fund for mental health and addiction treatment hospitals and centers affiliated with the General Secretariat.
The regulation stipulates the formation of a fund management board responsible for executing the fund's general policies, setting programs and activities to enhance its resources, preparing performance-based budgets and final accounts, reviewing its financial status, and signing contracts, among other duties.
These administrative details underpin the rising costs of healthcare in the country. Daily inpatient rates have surged, with private suites now 550 Egyptian pounds ($11.38) per day, while basic ward accommodation ranges from 150 to 380 pounds ($3.10–$7.86). Patients may be accompanied by a family member or carer when necessary, depending on their condition.
Additional charges apply for specialized needs. An air mattress, for instance, costs an extra 70 pounds ($1.45) daily, and 24-hour personal nursing is available for 650 pounds ($13.45).
Fees for therapy and psychological services have also been revised. Speech consultations and group therapy sessions are now set at 50 pounds ($1.03) each, while individual psychological counseling is 40 pounds ($0.83). A standard IQ test now costs 150 pounds ($3.10), and the price of a medical certificate or report has risen from 30 to 100 pounds ($0.62–$2.07).
Previously complimentary services provided via the National Mental Health online platform will now incur a fee of 50 Egyptian pounds ($1.03) per consultation.
Dr. Menen Abdel Maqsoud, former Secretary-General of the Secretariat for Mental Health, defended the price increases, telling Al Manassa that the new structure was devised to partially recoup state expenditure while “keeping most prices within reach.”
“We aimed to keep key services under 50 pounds ($1.03),” she said.
Mental health advocates have criticized the decision, warning that it risks excluding large numbers of patients who cannot afford the fees.
The campaign group Masiruna Wahid (Our Fate Is One) described the decision as a “disaster” for patients with complex needs, and accused the government of shirking its obligations.
In a statement reviewed by Al Manassa, the group asserted that “the social impact of this move will be felt across all classes.”
The group also highlighted government-backed research indicating that one in four Egyptians experience psychological symptoms, while over 3% of the population meet the criteria for substance addiction.
Fees are collected into a fund created under Law No. 71 of 2009, which draws revenue from state budget allocations, registration fees, medical stamp duties and treatment charges, in addition to donations. (*)
Although a 2012 ministerial decree exempted those unable to pay from the standard 100 Egyptian pounds ($2.07) admission fee, that exemption was later rolled back by then Health Minister Hala Zayed, to be paid to the National Council for Mental Health.
Costs at hospitals such as Abbasiya, Cairo’s largest public mental health institution, are expected to rise sharply. The price of monthly care in the hospital’s “economic ward” is anticipated to increase from 2,600 to 4,500 pounds ($53.77–$93.11) — a 73% jump.
Masiruna Wahid concluded that the government should focus on structural reform and increased investment in psychiatric care, rather than shifting costs to patients. It further called for improved pay, training, and working conditions for frontline staff, warning against “achieving reform by offloading burdens onto the most vulnerable.”
