Unlicensed rehab clinics prey on Egypt's most vulnerable citizens
A large number of unlicensed addiction treatment centers in Egypt are luring desperate clients by promising to treat them in as little as 10 days.
Centers claiming to offer treatment for drug addiction have been popping up in Egypt, particularly over the last two months. The staff at these places are neither doctors nor specialists and pretend to be qualified even though they are unlicensed. Their work is a clear violation of Egyptian law, by which any medical facility must be under the supervision of a licensed physician.
These centers have been widely visited by addicts seeking treatment away from the prying eyes of their families and communities. In a bid to avoid society’s judgment, they opt for such private treatment centers.
Egyptians perceive addiction as extremely immoral and avoid addicts, even those seeking psychiatric treatment. This perception is a product of Egyptian culture and religion, which prohibit drug use.
These centers use people who have recovered from drug addiction to lure drug-addicted clients and convince them of the center’s ability to heal them better than the specialists working within psychiatric hospitals licensed by the Ministry of Health.
