How Abu Dhabi is reforming mental health treatment and access for all

Speaking at the third Abu Dhabi General Mental Health Conference, officials said the ultimate goal of the emirate’s overall mental health strategy is to ensure that all people have access to mental health services.

Abu Dhabi Department of Health (DoH) adviser Neil Clark said authorities identified gaps in mental health services and care in 2017, including under-diagnosis of mental health problems and suboptimal care delivery model.

“We have developed a mental health strategy under the guidance of Abu Dhabi leadership. We have developed an overarching mental health strategy in Abu Dhabi with the vision that every resident of Abu Dhabi deserves access to mental health and prevention sex therapy,” Dr. Clark said.

The World Health Organization estimates that one in four people in the world will be affected by a mental or neurological disorder at some point in their lives.

Abu Dhabi’s spiritual strategy is developed by a number of regulatory agencies, including the Ministry of Health, Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Early Childhood Authority, Home Care Authority, Community Development and Education and Knowledge.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the program’s key outcomes has become widely known — the mental health hotline. Dr Ghanem Al Hassani, Group Education Officer, Public Health Services, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), said that although it was launched before the pandemic, its importance has grown when the pandemic has created multiple mental health challenges. stand out.

Seha is also responsible for another major element of the policy, which concerns the transfer of mental health treatment from professional services to community and primary care.

“We’ve trained about 50 to 60 primary care physicians to detect mental health issues and provide treatment for mild to moderate cases. So even if you report a physical discomfort to your doctor — such as back pain or a headache — Doctors are also able to identify any mental health factors and treat you and refer you to see a specialist,” Dr Al Hassani told Gulf News on the sidelines of the meeting.

These primary care physicians can also prescribe medications for common mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, known to affect 10 to 15 percent of the population in every community, as well as other common conditions such as eating disorders and substance abuse.

There will be more upskilling workshops for primary care professionals this year, according to Dr. Nahida Ahmed, chair of the conference and chair of the DoH mental health task force. In addition, 450 professionals have been trained in suicide prevention to date.

“Additionally, the strategy standardizes mental health care, and special care and primary care handbooks will be published this year,” she said. This will ensure clear treatment pathways for patients seeking treatment in the emirate.

Another area of ​​focus is enabling patients to reintegrate into the community after receiving mental health treatment such as substance abuse.

Full implementation of the strategy promises to improve the well-being of residents, while also yielding numerous economic benefits.

“We conducted an economic impact assessment to demonstrate that every Dh1 spent saves Dh1.4. [The ultimate aim] Improving living standards, reducing the number of people who are unable to work because of mental health problems who are unemployed, reduce the number of people who are absent from work because of mental health problems, and improve the performance of children in school because they are mentally healthy and have the ability to understand and cope with the psychological problems they encounter during their teenage years Health challenges,” Clark said.