The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, organized a virtual workshop titled the “Five-step programme” to develop an innovative mental health patient interview approach in the primary health care centres. The workshop is part of the initiatives of the National Mental Health Programme to integrate mental health services into primary health care centers.
With the participation of over 116 family medicine doctors and general practitioners, the workshop, which was moderated by the international expert Dr. Abdullah Al-Khathami, Consultant Family and Community Medicine, aims to enhance the competence of the health care staff and introduce a new concept to better diagnose and treat anxiety and depression in five steps.
In her remarks, Dr. Mona Al Kuwari, Director of the Specialized Care Department, said: “The Ministry of Health is keen to launch initiatives that help promote mental health service, in line with the national mental health unified policy aimed at ensuring mental health patient rights, through the implementation of the highest international standards and practices.”
Application of WHO Standards
“The workshop comes as part of MoHAP’s relentless efforts to develop mental health services in its health facilities and to activate the integration of mental health care services into the primary health care centres, as a scaled-down version of the WHO mhGAP,” she explained.
“The integration programme includes providing community mental health service to reduce relapse and empower the mental health patients socially, psychologically, and professionally,” added Al-Kuwari, “Our aim is to curb the complications of the most widespread mental health illnesses, such as anxiety and depression, through adopting healthy lifestyles, providing early diagnosis and treatment, enhancing community awareness about mental health disorders, and elevating the skills of psychiatrists and primary health care workers to diagnose and deal with common mental health conditions.”
MoHAP had previously launched a programme for incorporating mental health services into a number of primary health care centers, through the implementation of a series of training programs in which 155 family doctors, general doctors and medical personnel specialized in mental health participated. Since 2015, the ministry has integrated 37 health centres into the mental health programme, besides organizing more than 26 training courses for the medical and technical staff.