Dr Salih Al Marri (left), Assistant Secretary-General of Medical Affairs at SCH, and Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director, HMC, during the launch of SCH’s National Strategy for Mental Health at SCH office. Abdul Basit
DOHA: Qatar yesterday launched a National Mental Health Strategy to address mental health problems of people as 20 percent of Qataris suffer from a mental disorder and only a very few seek medical attention due to social stigma.
The five-year strategy, developed by the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), has identified the problems and suggested ways to address them.
The suggestions include introducing a law to protect people with mental illness and include mental health in the national insurance scheme. The launch ceremony was attended by the Assistant Secretary-General of Medical Affairs, Dr Salih Ali Al Marri, Managing Director of HMC, Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director of PHCC, Dr Mariam Abdul Malik, and other senior officials.
A recent study conducted among 1,063 Qatari nationals attending the primary health care centres indicates that one in five suffers from mental disorder. The study also suggests that mental disorders are particularly common amongst women and adolescents. Prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder is 20.4 percent, major depressive disorder is 19.1 percent and other psychiatric disorders are 13.36 percent.
Another study suggests that the majority of mental disorders fall within mild to moderate categories, with about 10 percent of mental disorders categorised as severe in nature.
“Further research is required to provide a more detailed understanding of the potential factors contributing to mental disorders among different communities in Qatar,” says the strategy document released yesterday.
However, the number of people seeking medical attention for mental disorders is very low due to social stigma. For instance, only 25 percent of Qataris and five percent of expats sought psychiatric services at Hamad Medical Corporation in 2011.
“Stigma can deny individuals with a mental illness access to learning, employment, and fulfilling relationships. In Qatar, some people have experienced negative impacts associated with mental illness, including reduced marriage prospects and employment opportunities, as well as social isolation,” the document says.
The strategy with 10 pledges will also work to pass a mental health law to protect people with mental illnesses. “Certain articles of the law have been discussed by the Cabinet and the Legal Department,” Dr Al Marri said.
The strategy will help more people access mental healthcare, create awareness, reduce the stigma and prevent illnesses.
SCH will be a key partner to develop an action plan for mental health promotion and prevention and to ensure risk and protective factors associated with mental illnesses are addressed.
As an early intervention initiative, healthcare providers will ensure that information resources about mental health are widely available in healthcare centres and appropriate screening programmes are developed.
Healthcare professionals will be educated on symptoms of mental illnesses and how to respond appropriately to patients.
HMC and PHCC will work to identify people with mental illness and provide them with tailored methods of treatment. The treatment will be in three categories as primary care, community mental service and inpatient care. All hospitals will increase the number of beds for people with mental illness.
Healthcare facilities such as Sidra and proposed Neuro Science Institute are likely to allocate more space for such people.
According to the strategy, action will be taken to raise awareness about mental health and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness at schools, universities, work places and healthcare institutions.
As mental illnesses develop in adolescence, well-being campaigns and educational modules on mental health will be developed to increase the capacity of young people to manage social and emotional challenges and help prevent mental illnesses.
Workplace awareness programmes will be introduced to address workplace risk factors such as stress as a prevention strategy to reduce the likelihood of mental illness developing.
The Peninsula
