Supporting the mental health and well-being of Qatar’s population is high on the agenda for the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).

The 9th Qatar International Mental Health Conference features the largest programme to date relevant for any professionals interested in mental health and well-being. The conference is supported by the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) in Qatar and the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK.

Making mental health and well-being a global priority

The World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to making mental health and well-being for all a global priority. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has worked closely with Qatar on mental health related projects over the past decade. This collaborative commitment will see six WHO mental health experts speaking at the conference, including WHO Regional Advisor Dr Khalid Saeed, who will talk about Transforming Mental Health for All.

According to Sheikh Dr Mohammed Al-Thani, Director of Public Health at MoPH, education is key to improving the health of our nation. To ensure the delivery of the most effective mental health services possible, particularly in a culturally diverse and complex society such as Qatar, Dr Al-Thani said we need to foster a culture of learning and knowledge sharing.

The conference is an important forum to promote education among professionals whose knowledge will ultimately benefit those in the community who seek help.

Iain Tulley, National Health Strategy Lead for Mental Health in Qatar and CEO of the Mental Health Service at HMC said that Qatar has demonstrated a commitment to promoting mental health and well-being. He said that this conference is an ideal platform to showcase both international expertise as well as local achievements and best practice.

I am delighted that at this event, we can showcase the results of the collaboration with partners such as Qatar Airways who are doing exceptional work in promoting staff well-being; or the work that is done with schools designed to help children, teachers and parents deal with many common challenges faced by young people today.

In addition, Tulley said they will also share lessons learned from the National Mental Health Helpline delivering professional support to frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic.

The conference, which will take place at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort and Convention Hotel from 25 to 27 May, offers up to 23 continuing professional development (CPD) hours for in-person attendance, and up to 13.75 CPD hours for virtual attendance.

For more information on the conference, visit hamad.qa


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