QU hosts event to celebrate World Mental Health Day

Qatar University (QU) hosted a special event Monday to celebrate World Mental Health Day.
Representatives from various institutions and mental health support centres in Qatar along with medical faculty members and students were present.
Dr Haya al-Attiya, associate vice-president (Student Success and Development) at the QU, inaugurated the event with a speech.
She shed light on the significance of World Mental Health Day and emphasised the importance of supporting individuals facing psychological challenges and the need to eliminate social stigma associated with mental health issues.
“Psychological challenges such as anxiety, depression, disorders, and others pose a significant obstacle to achieving comprehensive social development,” Dr al-Attiya said.
“They require awareness campaigns, lectures, conferences, continuous collaboration between relevant institutions, and conducting research and studies to provide effective solutions to these challenges and mitigate their impact on individuals in society,” she added.
Student Counselling Centre director Dr Mohamed Magzoob provided an overview of the centre’s services and its collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation and other entities to offer psychological support to students.
“The centre provides therapeutic and preventive services, as well as a hotline for students. It also offers individual and group therapy sessions, provided by the centre’s specialist,” he said. “The centre collaborates in delivering this service with Hamad Medical Corporation’s Department of Mental Health, which provides regular clinics at the centre weekly on a scheduled basis.”
Dr Arabi Abdullah, from the Department of Mental Health at the Ministry of Public Health, noted that mental wellbeing is a fundamental human right, essential for a happy and peaceful life.
He stressed the need for continuous focus on mental health throughout life, not just on a single day.
Representatives from the “Aman’ Centre, a part of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work and affiliated with the Ministry of Social Development and Family, shared their involvement in global celebrations, with a special focus on World Mental Health Day, in partnership with the QU.
Aman Centre dedicates itself to serving women, children, victims of family disintegration, and violence.
The centre has set up an information booth to showcase its role and services, emphasising the importance of mental health for women and children.