Egypt’s Health Ministry, Viatris Ink Deal to Bolster National Mental Healthcare
MoU targets awareness, training, and service development for mental health in Egypt.
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry and Viatris. The agreement aims to strengthen national efforts in supporting public mental health and advance the Presidential Mental Health Initiative.
Dr. Ayman Abbas, Head of the Central Administration for the General Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, signed on behalf of the Ministry. Dr. Mohamed Adel Khalil Mahmoud Sweilem, Viatris’s official representative, signed for the company.
Dr. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, the Ministry’s official spokesperson, stated the MoU focuses on implementing mental health awareness campaigns, exchanging knowledge and expertise, and building capacity among professionals in the field. The agreement also includes enhancing cooperation in training and scientific research, supporting awareness, prevention, and treatment programs for mental disorders, developing service delivery mechanisms, and improving the efficiency of medical teams. Additionally, it covers the development of the electronic system for the mental health support initiative via its dedicated online platform. This MoU contributes to raising community awareness and achieving the mental healthcare objectives outlined in Egypt Vision 2030.
Dr. Ayman Mokhtar, Viatris Regional President for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eurasia, emphasized that effective psychiatric care relies on a comprehensive approach ensuring accurate diagnosis, treatment, and appropriate patient support. He highlighted the importance of fostering public-private partnerships to achieve sustainable results, noting that the “Your Health is Happiness” initiative represents a leading model in prioritizing community mental and physical health.
Following the signing, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met with company representatives to discuss the MoU’s implementation plan. He stressed the importance of training doctors, nursing staff, and service providers on early diagnostic tools, launching extensive media campaigns, and developing culturally appropriate educational materials.
The meeting also addressed efforts to detect and treat depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, addiction, mental health for pregnant women and the elderly, and disorders linked to chronic diseases. Over 5,000 healthcare providers across governorates have received training.
Attendees at the signing ceremony included Dr. Mohamed Hassani, Assistant Minister for Public Health Initiatives; Dr. Ayman Abbas, Head of the Central Administration for the General Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment; Dr. Mohamed Abdel Hakim, Head of the Central Administration for Curative Medicine; Dr. Mona Khalifa, Director General of the General Administration for Health Initiatives; Dr. Mohamed Hany, Coordinator of the “Your Health is Happiness” initiative; and Sara Attia, Protocols Officer at the Assistant Minister’s office.
From Viatris, attendees included Dr. Ayman Mokhtar, Regional President for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eurasia; Rima Maalouf, Head of Corporate Affairs for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eurasia; Dr. Mohamed Sweilem, General Manager for Egypt and North Africa; and Dr. Mona Mounir, Head of Corporate Affairs for Egypt, North Africa, and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
