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Egypt raising awareness about mental illness

The Ministry of Health and Population has launched a campaign to raise awareness of mental illness and to challenge the social stigma surrounding it.
Patients at the Hospital for Mental Health in Al-Abassiya of Cairo draw during an art lesson as part of a treatment program which works on strengthening their abilities to integrate into society August 5, 2010. The hospital has around 1,500 patients from all over the governorates in Egypt, according to hospital staff. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El-Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: HEALTH SOCIETY) - GM1E6851Q8I01
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CAIRO — During the month of October, hospitals across Egypt affiliated with the General Secretariat of Mental Health, under the Ministry of Health and Population, are participating in Al-Saraya al-Safra, a campaign to raise awareness about mental health services and to counter the stigma surrounding mental illness. The Arabic “al-saraya al-safra” means “yellow palace,” which is a colloquial Egyptian term for a mental institute. The secretariat oversees and controls all services related to mental health in the country.

Khaled Mogahed, spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Population, announced the campaign in a Sept. 24 statement, saying, “Eighteen mental health hospitals will carry out the campaign, which coincides with World Mental Health Day, which falls on Oct. 10 every year.”

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