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Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, in collaboration with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, successfully concluded the second edition of the Abu Dhabi International Mental Health Conference (ADIMHC).
The two-day hybrid event, held on the 28th and 29th of January 2022, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, welcomed over 2300 delegates as part of its largest edition to date. Featuring several mental health experts from around the world, the conference advocated for the integration of psychiatry with other health disciplines as well as for improved access to care, resources, normalcy, and dignity for mental health patients across the world.
On the opening day of ADIMHC, Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary at the DoH, showcased the department’s new mental health model and asserted Abu Dhabi’s commitment to improving the quality of life for patients suffering from mental and psychological illnesses. The model will utilize international best practices in accordance with the highest regional and international standards, positioning healthcare in the UAE amongst the best in the world.
Dr. Al Kaabi said the new mental health care model will adopt new technologies that support treatments such as self-care applications and remote psychiatry. Additionally, it will aim to increase mental health awareness among the public through early detection programs in schools and workplaces. The model will also integrate an advanced mental health workforce into the primary care community, launch a comprehensive regulatory framework dedicated to the delivery of mental health care services and a psychological wellbeing tracking system.
The DoH’s mental health care model was designed in line with the vision, strategy and framework of the department and places huge emphasis on strengthening the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi, said Dr. Al Kaabi. As part of the model, several health centers will be set up to meet the needs of the community and provide multidisciplinary care.
“Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department rolled out several initiatives and partnered with a number of entities to ensure mental health support is available for all members of our community. We joined forces with the National Program for Happiness and Wellbeing to launch 800 HOPE, a mental help support line dedicated to providing safe and confidential counselling around the clock. Similarly, we collaborated with the Department of Community Development, Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and SEHA to support residents facing mental pressure through the Istijaba call centre.”
At ADIMHC, Dr. Omniyat Al Hajri, Executive Director of the Community Health Sector at Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, spoke about the importance of community mental health, the role of educational and awareness campaigns and the role of society as a whole in improving awareness and early detection.
Speaking about the success of the conference and Abu Dhabi’s stance on increasing social acceptance for mental health patients, Dr. Nahida Niaz Ahmed, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chair of the Behavioral Health Council at SEHA, said: “The conference was a resounding success and showcased our shared commitment with the DOH towards integrating mental health across primary health centers in the Emirates, upskilling physicians and nurses to address and inform about mental health issues, and facilitating a change in perception towards patients of mental health. SEHA has always been a patient-centric organization and we are extremely proud to work with the DOH in creating a health system that prioritizes mental health. We would like to thank the DOH for their continued collaboration and for spearheading a much-needed change in the society’s outlook towards mental health patients.”
The conference featured an entire section on the integration of psychiatry with multiple disciplines to address mental health challenges faced by patients suffering from chronic diseases. This section featured a panel of distinguished guests, from Emergency Medicine, Oncology, Renal and Internal Medicine to discuss psychiatric challenges in their specialties. Early detection and intervention of such medical comorbidities will go a long way in providing better quality of life for people living with mental illnesses.
Sessions at the ADIMHC included: Dr. Malcolm Borg, Chair Emergency Department at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, who spoke on the interface between the emergency department and psychiatric services; Dr. Mohammad Alsuwaidan, Consultant Psychiatrist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, who discussed the ‘Unmet Needs and Innovation for the Management of Depression’; Prof. Andrea Fagiolini, who gave a poignant talk on the ‘Management of Treatment Resistant Depression with Spravato’; and Prof. Christoph U. Correll, who presented on ‘Cariprazine: Translating Clinical Data into Clinical Practice’.
Additionally, the conference brought together several prominent international speakers including: Prof. Norman Sartorius, former Director of the World Health Organization’s Division of Mental Health and former President of the World Psychiatric Association and the European Psychiatric Association; Dr. Brian Hurley, Addiction Physician from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; Dr. Ayaz Virji from the Health Centre, NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Campus; and Dr. Deanne Kashiwagi, Program Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, among others.
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About SEHA:
The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC–SEHA – is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company owns and operates all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
SEHA is part of ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies with a broad portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabi’s diversified economy.
SEHA is committed to continuous improvement of customer care to recognized international standards and providing the community with world-class healthcare. SEHA operates 14 hospitals with over 3,385 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centers and 3 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 117,162 inpatients annually and conduct 43,262 surgeries, as well as treating more than five million outpatients.
SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East with more than 14,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel. Learn more at www.seha.ae
© Press Release 2022
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