The challenges of providing mental health services in a growing and diverse community were discussed at a seminar organised by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) and hosted by Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).
The purpose of the ‘Mental Health Care, Law and Patients’ Rights’ seminar was to bring together various stakeholders, including medical and health professionals, legal and social services, law enforcement and others, to find ways to work together to meet the mental healthcare requirements of Qatar’s diverse and growing community.
Dr Sunanda Holmes, associate university counsel and assistant professor of healthcare policy and research at WCM-Q, said: “Provision of high quality and appropriate mental healthcare services is a global challenge. By working together we can identify the service gaps and educate the various stakeholders in global best practices to ensure prompt, respectful and effective care for those in need.”
Dr Suhaila Ghuloum, senior consultant at the Psychiatry Department at HMC, underscored the importance of providing access to adequate and appropriate mental health services, and identified the challenges facing Qatar. These include the need for continued investment in infrastructure, recruitment and training of personnel, the need to overcome barriers to access, and the establishment of a comprehensive legal framework to protect the rights of both service providers and users.
Dr Ghuloum also advised the audience of the upcoming Fifth Qatar International Mental Health Conference, organised by HMC and scheduled for December 2-3 in Doha, at which these complex issues are to be addressed.