Khaberni - The Egyptian Interior Ministry's security forces received a report indicating a "mass escape" from one of the non-governmental addiction treatment facilities, and the inmates' subsequent refuge in another facility in the city of 6th of October, Giza Governorate.
The investigative authorities moved to the location of the report and found that the facility was located on the ground and first floors of a building which includes 5 floors, and it was being operated without a license, with no supervisors present at the time of inspection.
Upon hearing the testimonies of eyewitnesses, one of them stated that he saw one of the inmates pleading for help from the balcony of the facility, before noticing the door being opened and several inmates leaving, prompting him to immediately alert the security forces.
The security forces heard from one of the inmates, who confirmed that he was indeed inside the facility to receive treatment for addiction.
He explained that on the same day, there were rumors among the inmates about one of the administrators using narcotics, which caused anger and dissatisfaction among them and led them to leave the facility en masse, according to him.
The security forces continue their efforts to investigate the circumstances of the incident, and to verify the presence of any other violations, as part of enforcing supervision over unlicensed facilities to ensure the safety of citizens.
In December last year, the "Mariouteya" area in South Giza witnessed a shocking scene that reopened the file on the country's treatment facilities. A circulating video showed dozens of inmates breaking iron doors and windows before rushing into the streets in a mass escape that caused chaos and terror among pedestrians.
Some of the escapees appeared with signs of beatings on their bodies, confirming that the treatment journey inside the facility had turned into a prison where violent methods and deliberate medical neglect were practiced, out of any supervision or care.
The security forces quickly moved to verify the video and identify the facility, and it later became evident that it was operating without any license. Immediately, the Ministry of Health shut it down and referred the managers to the prosecution, affirming that it would not tolerate those who exploit the suffering of addiction patients.
The incident occurred just days after the closure of 18 similar centers in Greater Cairo, while the ministry emphasized the necessity to verify the licensing of any medical facility before dealing with it, to protect patients and their families.
