On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, Abu Dhabi Centre of Public Health has launched a mental health awareness campaign starting from October 10 to November 10, 2020. The campaign aims at spreading awareness about the significance of mental health in line with the UN's World Mental Health Day.

As per a WAM report, the Centre will spread messages related to mental health through social media platforms. Under the campaign, efforts will be taken to enhance partnerships between the healthcare sector and social sector to organise workshops with the aim of with a view to improving community perceptions about mental health and reducing the stigma around mental disorders.

Marking the occasion, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre called for the need to strengthen public attention towards mental health and physical health alike as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and in line with the directives of the UAE Government.

Furthermore, a scientific research conducted on the issue also advocates for a mutual relationship between mental and physical health. For instance, people with mental disorders are highly likely to develop other chronic diseases, while on the other hand, individuals with chronic diseases are more prone to developing mental disorders.

It has also been witnessed that the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions have had an unprecedented impact on the mental health of the people who contracted the virus and their families, in addition to frontline workers, children and society as a whole.

Amid the ongoing developments, the centre has lauded the significant role played by the UAE government in directing various authorities across concerned sectors to ensure the provision of mental and psychological support to the frontline workers fighting against COVID-19 and the community in general. These efforts were taken in line with the visions of the UAE government to ensure that the citizens and residents are happy and productive, as well as capable enough to handle life hurdles and unforeseen circumstances with a positive attitude.

The centre has also been taking adequate steps to contain the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of people. The centre has noted that the entire world is facing an adverse psychosocial impact of the global pandemic crisis, which is expected to stay longer than the disease itself. Mental health manifestations are expected to continue to linger on the world even after the pandemic, which is making it more essential and urgent to address the mental health crisis.

Several mental health awareness and educational programmes focused on psychological wellbeing and coping with COVID-19 have been launched by the centre across various social media platforms in recent months. The centre has created communication channels with the aim of helping the community to cope with psychosocial challenges. These channels have enabled the public to communicate with the authorities and seek support and advice. At the same time, these channels have been offering a wide range of virtual consultations and sessions providing psychosocial support to different sections of society including, students, mothers and senior citizens.

The centre has expressed appreciation towards the role played by key government and private authorities in promoting mental health among the community during the COVID-19 crisis. The centre worked in partnership with a number of entities and launched various initiatives to mitigate the anxiety, stress and tension among the community members, in addition to facilitating more access to mental health services.

One of the most prominent initiatives was the telemedicine initiative project, launched in cooperation with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi and a group of health service providers in the emirate, with the aim of supporting senior citizens and residents and those with chronic diseases, including mental illness.

Another initiative was "We are with you to support you," launched in cooperation with the Family Development Foundation, to provide necessary social and psychological support to those in isolation and quarantine due to COVID-19 and families who lost their dear ones to the disease.

The centre also took efforts to develop appropriate scientific materials and trained volunteers who were a part of the "Mental Support Line" initiative of the Ministry of Community Development, the Emirates Foundation and SEHA.

In addition, the centre also constituted a working group of mental health experts as represented by SEHA, NRC and other nominees from the private health sectors to discuss the on-ground situation and designed solutions to confront the crisis.

The second phase of "Towards a healthy and safe society" initiative was also launched by the Abu Dhabi Centre for Public Health with 13 participating entities employing all their capabilities to reach out to residents and senior citizens and support their mental health needs. The centre provided interactive scientific materials to children with the enhance of enhancing their awareness and enable them to handle psychological pressures emerging due to the ongoing changes in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The centre has also appreciated the efforts and initiatives undertaken by various institutions such as SEHA, NRC, the Emirates Red Crescent, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, the Department of Community Development and MAAN-the Authority of Social Contributions in providing mental, psychological and social support to those groups impacted by the pandemic.

The centre is taking adequate steps to support the efforts of boosting scientific research in the field of mental health with special considerations to specific groups such as children and adolescents. It aims to use the results of these research in formulating new prevention programmes based on valid and reliable scientific evidence.

The Department of Health Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Centre of Public Health are working together to provide an integrated health system in the mental health field in line with national and international standards. In addition, they are keen to boost specialisations and competencies in the field of mental health support along with increasing the capacity of awareness programs in the matter. Both the authorities are aiming to cooperate with young people in a bid to use their energies in spreading awareness about the need for mental health among members of society.

Meanwhile, the centre is working with various concerned authorities to develop a new cohesive mental health strategy to boost the development of mental health services across the UAE with the highest standards in the world.

WAM