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Alsharq Tribune- Egypt
The cabinet highlighted on Wednesday the state's initiative to combat internet and electronic gaming addiction and misuse, as part of broader efforts to promote mental health and encourage responsible digital use.
The move forms part of the state's efforts to promote mental health and support human development in response to the growing impact of excessive digital use.
Services expansion
The initiative, launched by the Ministry of Health and Population on 6 February under the presidential initiative Sehetak Saada (Your Health Is Happiness), provides specialized clinics to treat digital addiction.
It initially covered six major psychiatric hospitals serving different regions of the country, including Cairo’s Abbassia, Qalyubia’s Al-Khanka, Alexandria’s Maamoura, Dakahliya’s Demira, Minya, and Assiut mental health hospitals The two-month first phase recorded 120 patients.
Males accounted for 63 percent of cases, while females represented 37 percent. Around 60 percent of patients were adolescents and young adults, and 70 percent were unemployed.
On 15 July, the ministry announced the second phase of the initiative, extending services to four additional hospitals: Cairo’s Heliopolis addiction hospital, and Qalyubia, Menoufiya, and Sohag mental health hospitals.
The expansion increased the total number of participating hospitals to 10, broadening geographical coverage and making the service accessible to more age groups nationwide.
Treatment approach
It also provides age-specific guidance on safe usage time and offers digital assessment tools, including a free internet addiction survey, that help users conduct an initial evaluation before being referred for appropriate treatment.
The clinics provide intensive awareness campaigns of the risks of digital addiction through the National Mental Health Platform as well as social media channels.
It provides treatment for digital addiction and associated mental health disorders through modern scientific therapeutic programmes that include psychological care and health education to mitigate the harmful effects of digital addiction.
It also provides family counseling to help families manage and prevent such cases, while implementing rehabilitation plans to help patients successfully reintegrate into society.
A total of 120 medical and clinic staff have completed training to ensure the delivery of comprehensive care in line with the latest international protocols, with a focus on enhancing the efficiency and capabilities of medical personnel.
Child online safety
The initiative complements broader government efforts to promote the safe and responsible use of the internet and protect children from digital risks.
As part of these efforts, authorities signed licensing addenda for the "Etmaen" and "Etmaen Ala El Akher" services, commonly known as the "Child SIM Card." The services aim to provide children with a safe digital environment, curbing internet use to its vast opportunities for learning, knowledge acquisition, communication, skill development, and educational digital gaming.
Meanwhile, it provides parents with effective tools to protect their children from digital risks and inappropriate content, in line with international best practices in online child protection.
The initiative represents a key step toward protecting the social fabric and developing human capital, as part of ongoing efforts to address contemporary mental health challenges, particularly those associated with excessive digital use.
It also aims to safeguard the mental well-being of individuals and families while raising public awareness of the risks of digital addiction and ways to prevent and treat it.
According to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology’s report in July, mobile phone subscriptions reached 126.12 million in April 2026, up 0.38 percent from 125.65 million in March and 8.54 percent from 116.2 million a year earlier.
Meanwhile, phone-based mobile broadband subscriptions increased to 95.27 million in April, up 0.89 percent from 94.43 million in March and 9.59 percent from 86.94 million a year earlier.
