226.3 thousand visits were recorded, including 31% of people with anxiety and depression
129 medical facilities in the country provide services for “mental health” patients
The Ministry presented the report to the Federal National Council.
From the source
The Ministry of Health and Community Protection revealed that the total number of health facilities providing mental health services reached 129 facilities at the state level, employing a multidisciplinary staff of 5,461 employees, pointing out that the total visits of mental health patients to mental health care units in the country exceeded 226.3 thousand visits during 2020, including 31.1% visits to patients with anxiety and depression, while the rate of mental health beds in the country witnessed an increase of 41%.
In detail, the ministry stated that it has placed the mental health promotion file at the top of its priorities, as it seeks to provide a comprehensive and integrated system of mental health services, provided in a sustainable health environment, and in accordance with effective policies, legislation and controls, with the participation of the relevant authorities, in addition to ensuring that they are provided to those in need with a high quality comparable to International standards, and contribute to achieving the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071.
The ministry explained, in a report that it recently presented to the Federal National Council, that it has worked on developing a national policy to promote mental health, which was approved by the Council of Ministers in 2017, and included a strategic plan containing activities and initiatives emanating from the policy objectives, applied to 129 health facilities at the national level. The state, which provides mental health services, has a multidisciplinary staff of 5,461 employees.
The report, which "Emirates Today" obtained a copy of, indicated that the rate of mental health beds in the country witnessed an increase of 41% during 2019, compared to the rate of beds in 2016, in line with the global trend and the endeavors of the World Health Organization, towards strengthening health services Community psychology, and the integration of mental health services into primary health care.
With regard to the number of visitors to mental health facilities in the country, the ministry stated that it is working to strengthen its central system of health data and information, as it is planned to complete the central database next year, pointing out that the total visits of patients with mental conditions to mental health care units in the country amounted to 226 1,352 visits during the year 2020. The highest percentage of visits was for patients with depression, at 18.6%, followed by the percentage of patients with anxiety at 12.5%, then patients with psychotic schizophrenia at 10.4%, stressing that “these percentages are consistent with global statistics for the distribution of mental disorders. Depression, panic disorders, and anxiety are among the highest rates of mental illness.”
Regarding the steps and mechanisms for promoting and expanding the scope of mental health services based on the national policy, the Ministry pointed out that 60% of the total hospitals and primary health care centers in the country (51 facilities), provide comprehensive and integrated mental health services, while the percentage of mental health services integration in Primary health care is about 58%, of which 39 centers provide basic community mental health services, and five centers provide specialized mental health services.
According to the ministry, the percentage of hospitals that provide mental health services in the country reached 53%, including eight general hospitals, a specialized reference hospital, and a center of excellence for mental health services, while the increase in the number of beds in Al-Amal Hospital for Mental Health exceeded 245%, rising from 80 beds to 276 beds, with an increase in working human cadres by nearly 47% in two years.
The ministry revealed that more than 10,000 clients in the mental health sector have benefited from the medical service since the start of the service in the middle of 2020, and the number of virtual visits from clients to doctors and mental health specialists exceeded 29,000, pointing to the formation of a mobile team to intervene in crises, Provides psychological support to patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as this team carried out more than 3,300 visits, targeting all cases that were released from hospitals, according to the patient’s need and for unstable chronic cases, to ensure the patient’s commitment to treatment, reduce the rate of relapse, in addition to helping Families of patients to take care of patients, and reduce psychological pressure on them.
4 service models
The Ministry of Health and Community Protection confirmed that the Emirates Health Services Corporation provides a leading global model in mental health services in the country, as it is based in providing its services on the tiered care model recommended by the World Health Organization (Stepped Care Model) and also implemented in Singapore and Canada. Britain, and Australia.
The Ministry pointed out that there are four levels for providing mental health services, the first is mental health services in primary health care centers, then mental health services in public hospitals, specialized mental care, and finally community mental health services, noting that services are provided by trained psychiatrists.
Consultations are classified according to the degree of risk, and are referred to the specialist doctor according to need.
100% inclusion of "mental health"
The Ministry of Health and Community Protection reported an increase in the percentage of mental health integration in health care facilities from 31% to 58%, to reach 100% coverage.
It also provided early detection services for mental illnesses, through the “Etmanan” program for periodic examinations, at a rate of 100% in all care centers.
She explained that there are five centers that provide specialized mental health services, and more than 8000 customers have benefited from the service of integrating mental health services into primary health care, pointing out that there are three centers within a network of specialized mental health electronic clinics at Al-Amal Hospital for Mental Health in primary care centers, in addition to Three other centers will be added to the network during the current year.
• 10,000 clients in the mental health sector have benefited from the medical service since mid-2020.
• 58% of the rate of integrating mental health services into primary health care.
• “The rates of mental illness in the country are in line with global statistics, where depression, panic disorders, and anxiety are among the highest among them.”
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