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Tribune News Network
Doha
Minister of Public Health Her Excellency Dr Hanan Mohamed al Kuwari formally launched Qatar’s first Guide to Mental Health Services at the 8th Qatar International Psychiatry and Mental Health Conference on Thursday.
The guide has been developed by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Medicine and Naufar, with the aim of making it easier for people to access mental health services in Qatar and helping them choose the right service for their needs.
DrKuwarisaid: “Qatar’s healthcare sector has undergone enormous growth throughout this decade and the expansion of mental health services has been an important part of this transformation. Qatar’s health system now offers a wide range of mental health services and it is vitally important that people understand how to access these services and choose the right service for their individual needs. The new guide provides a clear and concise resource for mental health services in Qatar.’’
The publication of the Guide to Mental Health Services follows the launch last year by the MoPH of three other guides to healthcare services in Qatar, one each for children, adults and the elderly. The guides explain everything people need to know about accessing general healthcare services in Qatar.
Mahmoud Saleh al Raisi, chair of the National Taskforce for Mental Health and Well-being and HMC’s chief of the Continuing Care Group, highlighted the importance of making people aware of how to seek help if they are struggling with mental health issues.
“The World Health Organization states that 1 in 4 people in the world will be affected by a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. One of the main challenges is the associated stigma, which often makes it difficult for people to talk openly and seek help. For this reason, it is essential that we make people aware of the services available to them and that they understand how to access these services’’, stated Raisi.
Iain Tulley, Qatar National Health Strategy 2018-2022 lead for Mental Health and Well-being and CEO of HMC’s Mental Health Service, said, “The delivery of high-quality mental health services in Qatar is a result of joint working between healthcare organisations. As is evident within the guide, HMC, PHCC, Sidra and Naufar- all play an important role in ensuring people struggling with mental health issues receive the support they require.”
DrSamya Ahmad al Abdulla, deputy national lead for Mental Health and Well-being and executive director of Operations PHCC, explained: “In the past few years we have worked hard to expand the mental health services delivered at our primary health centres. We now operate five mental health support clinics and three integrated psychiatry clinics in primary health centres in Qatar, which enable people seeking help to easily access the care they require without needing to attend a specialist psychiatric facility. As the PHCC’s services are not focused on any specific health conditions, the stigma associated with seeking mental healthcare is reduced, making it more acceptable and accessible for our patients and their families.”
Professor Muhammad Waqar Azeem, inaugural chair of the Department of Psychiatry, Sidra Medicine, remarked: “Our dedicated and highly skilled team of psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses provide state-of-the-art mental healthcare for children and adolescents. We also offer comprehensive perinatal mental healthcare services for pregnant and postpartum women, a programme which we consider one of the first of its kind in the region.”
Dr Khalifa Jeham al Kuwari, assistant director-general, Naufar, said: “At Naufar, we assist people of all ages to overcome addiction by motivating them and helping them to achieve a healthier, more productive, and happier life.”
Doha
Minister of Public Health Her Excellency Dr Hanan Mohamed al Kuwari formally launched Qatar’s first Guide to Mental Health Services at the 8th Qatar International Psychiatry and Mental Health Conference on Thursday.
The guide has been developed by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Medicine and Naufar, with the aim of making it easier for people to access mental health services in Qatar and helping them choose the right service for their needs.
DrKuwarisaid: “Qatar’s healthcare sector has undergone enormous growth throughout this decade and the expansion of mental health services has been an important part of this transformation. Qatar’s health system now offers a wide range of mental health services and it is vitally important that people understand how to access these services and choose the right service for their individual needs. The new guide provides a clear and concise resource for mental health services in Qatar.’’
The publication of the Guide to Mental Health Services follows the launch last year by the MoPH of three other guides to healthcare services in Qatar, one each for children, adults and the elderly. The guides explain everything people need to know about accessing general healthcare services in Qatar.
Mahmoud Saleh al Raisi, chair of the National Taskforce for Mental Health and Well-being and HMC’s chief of the Continuing Care Group, highlighted the importance of making people aware of how to seek help if they are struggling with mental health issues.
“The World Health Organization states that 1 in 4 people in the world will be affected by a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. One of the main challenges is the associated stigma, which often makes it difficult for people to talk openly and seek help. For this reason, it is essential that we make people aware of the services available to them and that they understand how to access these services’’, stated Raisi.
Iain Tulley, Qatar National Health Strategy 2018-2022 lead for Mental Health and Well-being and CEO of HMC’s Mental Health Service, said, “The delivery of high-quality mental health services in Qatar is a result of joint working between healthcare organisations. As is evident within the guide, HMC, PHCC, Sidra and Naufar- all play an important role in ensuring people struggling with mental health issues receive the support they require.”
DrSamya Ahmad al Abdulla, deputy national lead for Mental Health and Well-being and executive director of Operations PHCC, explained: “In the past few years we have worked hard to expand the mental health services delivered at our primary health centres. We now operate five mental health support clinics and three integrated psychiatry clinics in primary health centres in Qatar, which enable people seeking help to easily access the care they require without needing to attend a specialist psychiatric facility. As the PHCC’s services are not focused on any specific health conditions, the stigma associated with seeking mental healthcare is reduced, making it more acceptable and accessible for our patients and their families.”
Professor Muhammad Waqar Azeem, inaugural chair of the Department of Psychiatry, Sidra Medicine, remarked: “Our dedicated and highly skilled team of psychiatrists, psychologists and nurses provide state-of-the-art mental healthcare for children and adolescents. We also offer comprehensive perinatal mental healthcare services for pregnant and postpartum women, a programme which we consider one of the first of its kind in the region.”
Dr Khalifa Jeham al Kuwari, assistant director-general, Naufar, said: “At Naufar, we assist people of all ages to overcome addiction by motivating them and helping them to achieve a healthier, more productive, and happier life.”
