The short answer
Yes, free mental health treatment exists in Egypt, and the easiest way to start is the mental health hotline 16328, run by the General Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment. It works around the clock and offers an immediate psychological consultation and guidance to the right place. The Secretariat runs about 24 specialized facilities across the governorates, with outpatient clinics and inpatient wards, and it has an online platform for remote sessions. Alongside these are the psychiatry clinics of university hospitals. If the problem is addiction, the free route is the 16023 line of the Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction.
- First stepThe mental health hotline 16328
- Where is treatment?General Secretariat facilities and university hospitals
- For addictionThe 16023 hotline
“I need to talk to someone but I can’t afford a doctor” — many people type this, in different words, into search engines. The truth is that the cost of private sessions stops a large number of people from asking for help at all, so they put up with depression, anxiety or obsessions for years. This guide brings together the official free routes available in Egypt, explains what to expect from each, how to prepare for the first call, and what to watch out for so you don’t fall into the trap of an unqualified “free psychiatrist” on social media.
Is there really free mental health treatment in Egypt?
There is, and it isn’t just a sign on a door. The state provides mental health services through the General Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment, part of the Ministry of Health and Population, which is responsible for the government mental health hospitals, a hotline and an online platform. According to the Ministry of Health’s announcement in April 2026, the Secretariat works through 24 specialized facilities across the country providing diagnosis, treatment and psychological support in outpatient clinics and inpatient wards. What distinguishes this route is that it is available to every citizen, and that it starts with a phone call.
The mental health hotline 16328: what happens when you call?
The line works 24 hours a day, and it is answered by a team of doctors, psychologists and social workers, some of them trained in psychological first aid. Ministry of Health data indicate that in the first quarter of 2026 the line received about 8,800 calls, of which nearly 3,900 became psychological consultations, and the team dealt immediately with more than 250 emergency cases and referred them to the appropriate treatment route.
In practice, when you call you can get:
- Listening and support in the moment of crisis itself.
- An initial assessment of what you are going through and whether it needs a doctor.
- Guidance to the nearest facility or clinic suited to your situation and governorate.
- Answers to the family’s questions if the caller is a relative rather than the patient.
You may find an older free number for the Secretariat beginning with 0800 in some sources, but the number announced in recent Ministry of Health statements is 16328.
Before you call: prepare these points
- What exactly you feel, and when it started.
- How it has affected your sleep, eating, and work or study.
- Any medicines you take, and any previous psychological treatment.
- Whether you have had thoughts of harming yourself. Say it clearly — it changes how urgently you are dealt with.
- Your governorate, so the team can direct you to the nearest place.
The General Secretariat’s mental health hospitals and clinics
These are the facilities the line usually refers you to. They have outpatient clinics for examination and follow-up, and inpatient wards for cases that need them. The Ministry of Health has announced specialized clinics within the Secretariat’s system for dealing with psychological trauma and suicidal thoughts, and “Waha” clinics dedicated to acute psychological crises, with individual treatment plans and an organized referral system. Government facilities dispense some medicines free of charge, including — according to the Secretariat’s announcements — the monthly long-acting schizophrenia injection. The details of the service and fees may differ from one facility to another, so ask the line or the facility before you go.
If the case needs an inpatient stay, our article on psychiatric hospital costs in Egypt explains the difference between government and private inpatient care, and when a patient needs to be admitted at all.
Online therapy through the government platform
The General Secretariat has an online platform at mentalhealth.mohp.gov.eg, and the ministry has announced that thousands of remote sessions have been provided through it. This option suits anyone who lives far from the facilities, finds it hard to go out because of anxiety or depression, or needs regular follow-up after a diagnosis. Remote psychotherapy gives good results for anxiety and mild to moderate depression, but it doesn’t suit acute crises or cases that need a direct examination and careful adjustment of medication.
Psychiatry clinics in university hospitals
Most government medical schools have psychiatry departments with outpatient clinics open to the public in their university hospitals, staffed by professors, lecturers and resident doctors. Their cost is usually much lower than private clinics; the trade-off is often crowding, waiting and a different doctor from one visit to the next. Some universities also offer free counseling centers for their students, so if you are a student, ask about them at your university first.
If the problem is addiction: the 16023 line
Addiction treatment has a separate government route through the Fund for Drug Control and Treatment of Addiction, on 16023, which includes detox and rehabilitation in centers run by the Fund. The details of the steps and confidentiality are in our guide to free addiction treatment in Egypt. And if addiction comes together with depression, anxiety or psychosis, mention both when you call, because treating each separately is less successful.
What might the free route not provide?
It is only fair that you know the limits of this route so you aren’t discouraged by it:
- The wait for an appointment may be long in some places.
- Consultations in crowded clinics are shorter than in private clinics.
- Regular weekly talking therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, may be less available than examination and medication.
- The treating doctor may change between visits in teaching hospitals.
These limits don’t mean you should give up on it. Many people start with diagnosis and medication in the government route, and then continue with psychotherapy sessions when their circumstances allow, or combine the two.
How do you choose between free and private?
| The situation | The usually more suitable route |
|---|---|
| A crisis now, or you don’t know where to start | The 16328 hotline |
| You need diagnosis, medication and follow-up at limited cost | General Secretariat clinics or a university hospital |
| You live far away or find it hard to go out | The government platform for remote sessions |
| You need regular weekly therapy sessions with the same therapist | Private, or combining both routes |
| Addiction with a mental disorder needing an inpatient stay and an integrated program | 16023, or a private hospital specializing in dual diagnosis |
Beware: the “free psychiatrist” on social media
Pages and accounts offering “free” or very cheap sessions are everywhere. Some are serious initiatives by professionals, some are unqualified people giving advice that may do harm, and some are a way in to selling products or “courses” that have nothing to do with treatment. Before you tell anyone your secrets, make sure:
- That they are a psychiatrist registered with the Medical Syndicate, or a psychologist holding an accredited qualification in clinical psychology.
- That they don’t promise you a cure in one or two sessions.
- That they don’t ask you to stop your medicine suddenly, or sell you supplements or herbs as an alternative to treatment.
- That they have a clear way of dealing with emergencies if your condition gets worse.
And to tell the specialties apart: a psychiatrist diagnoses and prescribes medicines, while a psychologist provides talking therapy and psychological tests, and each complements the other.
When should you not wait for an appointment at all?
If you or a relative have a plan to harm yourself, if hallucinations and dangerous behavior appear, or if someone has stopped eating and drinking completely, this is an emergency. Call the ambulance on 123 or go to the nearest emergency department, and you can call the 16328 line for guidance at the same time. The signs of a psychiatric emergency are detailed in our guide to the symptoms of mental illness.
How can Riviera Life help you?
If you choose the private route, Riviera Life is a hospital for psychiatry and addiction treatment that offers diagnosis, medication, psychotherapy and inpatient care when needed, with dual-diagnosis programs and family support. And if the government route suits your circumstances better, we will tell you so clearly. The first consultation is free and confidential on +201507999722.
Read also
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: how the sessions work
- Group therapy: its types and when it suits you
- Psychiatric medications: their types and what they treat
- Mental health: the complete guide
Questions many people ask
Yes. The line takes enquiries from patients and their relatives, and a relative can explain the situation and get guidance on the right next step and the nearest place for treatment.
Law No. 71 of 2009 on the Care of Psychiatric Patients sets out the patient's right to confidentiality of information about them and their medical file, which is disclosed only in specific cases such as a court order or serious danger.
For anxiety and mild to moderate depression its results come close to in-person sessions, but it doesn't suit acute crises, psychosis or cases that need a direct examination.
Government facilities dispense some medicines to patients they follow up, including the long-acting schizophrenia injection according to the General Secretariat's announcements, and what is available varies from one facility to another.
A psychiatrist is a medical graduate who specializes, diagnoses and prescribes medicines; a psychologist specializes in psychology and provides talking therapy and testing. Many cases need both together.
