Doha: Some 2,000 patients are being treated at the Psychiatry Department of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), a local Arabic daily reported yesterday.
The clinic has beds for only 65 patients, which is not enough for the increasing number of patients seeking psychiatric treatment in the country, Dr Hazim Hashim, acting director of Psychiatric Department of HMC, told Al Arab.
With some 20 doctors, the clinic continues to receive new cases with an average of 40 patients visiting the department every week.
“Many new cases transferred to the clinic from the emergency department are sent back because of lack of space,” Dr Hashim said, adding that the clinic is not in a position to accept more cases.
Because of the increasing number of cases, the Ministry of Health is also being pushed to adopt a policy to treat patients without admitting them to the clinic.
“The ministry is working on new plans to expand the scope of psychiatric treatment in the country,” Dr Hashim said.
The children’s psychiatry department will be transferred to a residential complex in the Maider area next month and the women’s section will be attached to it.
Speaking about some of the most prevalent psychological diseases, Dr Hashim said that a large number of children in the region are affected because of family problems.
“Broken families are increasingly affecting the upbringing of children in the GCC,” he said.
There is a need to integrate psychological support systems in the schools and universities in the country, according to the acting director.
He also cited depression and schizophrenia as common problems. “Having psychiatric specialists in schools and universities will have a strong impact on the overall mental health of the people in the country.”
The national health plans related to psychiatry will be implemented by the government in three phases. While Phase 1 will be completed by the end of this year, the other two phases will be implemented with a gap of three years.
The Peninsula
