FUHEIS - The Kingdom will be positioned as a regional centre for mental healthcare with the inauguration of a new psychiatric ward on Sunday, said experts.
The 15-bed inpatient model unit affiliated to the National Mental Health Centre in Fuheis will not only provide treatment and rehabilitation services for persons with psychological disorders, but also aid medics working in the field of mental health, according to health officials.
"The unit will rehabilitate mentally ill people and make them more self-reliant in activities such as preparing their own meals... the unit is also smaller than previous units so the overall quality of services will be better," Nayel Al Adwan, the centre's technical assistant, told The Jordan Times on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony yesterday.
The Health Ministry established the unit in cooperation with the Jordan Nursing Council (JNC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Anita Marini, emergency public health officer for mental health at WHO, underlined the importance of the ward in improving mental health services in the Kingdom.
"Today is really a historic moment for psychiatry in Jordan... The unit will not only provide basic care, but will also provide psychological support and social integration to those patients," Marini told The Jordan Times, noting that it will function as a model for future wards in public hospitals across the Kingdom.
Minister of Health Nayef Fayez, who opened the ward on behalf of HRH Princess Muna, emphasised the ministry's keenness to improve mental health services in the Kingdom.
The minister pointed out that work is under way on the country's strategy for mental health, adding that it will be finalised "soon".
JNC Secretary General Daad Shokeh said the unit will provide training to medical staff in the field of mental health, noting that there is a shortage of mental healthcare workers in the Kingdom.
Shokeh added that the unit will provide social activities such as painting, sports events and music classes.
WHO representative in Jordan Hashem Ali Zein emphasised the importance of the centre, stressing WHO's support to Jordan in improving these services.
He highlighted the potential for the unit to provide training to medical cadres in Jordan and the region.
By Mohammad Ghazal
© Jordan Times 2010
