The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, represented by the Hospitals Sector's Specialized Health Department, and in collaboration with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), recently organized a series of lectures for bus drivers in Dubai to raise awareness about mental disorders. Spread over two days, the lectures were aimed at promoting early detection of mental disorders and prevention programs as well as improve mental health services for bus drivers who have the responsibility of the safety of passengers.

A medical team from the Ministry analyzed personality tests conducted on over 100 bus drivers to assess their knowledge of mental disorders along with the causes and methods of treatment. Brochures and publications informing about mental disorders and its management along with healthcare facilities offering proper diagnosis and treatment were also distributed to drivers.

Dr. Youssif Al Serkal, Assistant Undersecretary for the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention's Hospitals Sector, emphasized on the Ministry's efforts to improve the mental health of the community members at par with global standards and within the framework of the National Mental Health Program. The program falls in line with the Ministry's strategic objectives to provide quality healthcare services to the people of the UAE in accordance with the policies, legislation, programs and partnerships to build a sustainable and healthy society. Furthermore, the Assistant Undersecretary praised the excellent cooperation provided by the RTA.

Elaborating further, Dr. Al Serkal said that the Ministry has formed a committee with representatives from various organizations providing mental health services in the UAE to develop a unified national policy for mental health. He stated that the committee will ensure that the rights of the individuals who suffer from mental illnesses are protected and at the same time, it launches programs to promote early detection and prevention of mental disorders. He said that some of the hospitals under the Ministry that provide mental health services include Al Amal Hospital in Dubai, Kuwait Hospital in Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah's Ibrahim Bin Hamad Obaidullah Hospital, and Fujairah Hospital in the emirate of Fujairah.

H.E. Dr. Muna Al Kuwari, Director of Specialized Health Department, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, said that the Ministry is planning to implement a system of advanced healthcare services that will raise the quality of psychiatric services provided to all segments of society in partnership with the concerned authorities. She further said that as per the statistics released by the World Health Organization, the prevalence of psychiatric disorders is common. Some of the most common mental illnesses are anxiety, personality and mood disorder, obsessive compulsive (OCD), impulse control disorder (ICD), and addiction.

H.E. Dr. Al Kuwari noted that the lectures organized by the Ministry informed bus drivers about various prevention methods such as physical exercise, eating healthy food, getting enough sound sleep, and challenging negative thoughts. She said the two-day session highlighted the need to consult a doctor before taking supplements as well as indicated that the most common and effective anti-depressant therapies are the cognitive or behavioral therapy.