Abu Dhabi: Salam Abu Shehab
Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Community Protection and Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, affirmed that the wise leadership was keen on making the UAE a role model in the world, and that everything related to quality of life, whether public health or mental health, as well as the social and occupational dimension, is implemented Its follow-up and monitoring by the Council of Ministers, specifically the Quality of Life team, indicating that there is an initiative to hold a meeting with the Ministry of Health, the National Council and the Quality of Life team in the Cabinet.
The minister said in the ninth session of the Federal National Council, which was held yesterday evening, chaired by Saqr Ghobash, Chairman of the Council at the headquarters of the Council in Abu Dhabi, during which the Ministry’s policy in promoting mental health was discussed soon, specialized centers for psychiatry will see the light in Kalba and Khor Fakkan.
He explained that there is a unified health file that was supposed to be completed in 2020, and because of the pandemic, it was postponed, and now we have crossed the threshold of 10 million health files, and soon to the end of the year will be a unified medical file at the state level.
The minister said: We need to raise the level of awareness because there is a prevailing culture of dealing with a kind of negativity with the mental patient, and perhaps because of the lack of awareness, family members cannot pay attention to the existence of a psychological condition, so we are working side by side with all concerned parties in this matter to reach a more stage From spreading awareness, we need to take greater steps, including the draft mental health law, which was previously discussed by the Council in 2021, and will see the light soon.
He pointed out that the project to link the Ministry of Education and my care system is still under implementation, and there is a major challenge, which is the issue of confidentiality of patient data, and access to information regarding an underage student or student remains with the guardian, and medical services benefited from 29,000 visits in the year 2021 benefited more than 10,000 customers.
The minister explained that community mental health is represented in the creation of beds in public hospitals, and 4 beds have been activated in Obaidullah Hospital.
Regarding the proposal to add a clause on psychological and behavioral fitness in the contract concluded between the family and the auxiliary labor recruitment centers, the minister said the proposal is worthy of study and we will study the proposal, bearing in mind that it will entail heavy burdens, but we may reach a solution in the end.
The minister added that there is a program to monitor narcotic drugs in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, and the program can read the misuse and identify doctors and any drugs and to whom they were dispensed in case of misuse, and a monitoring mechanism and things are improving from the previous situation and there may be abuse.
The minister explained that a model has been developed to assess students’ psychological conditions on scientific grounds, and accordingly, we have reached the training of approximately 553 school workers, who have been trained for early detection of any defect with regard to the issue of mental health.
Dr. Youssef Al-Sarkal said: An integrated unit for psychological and community services has been established at Al-Amal Hospital for Mental Health, and day care centers provide psychological, social and professional rehabilitation programs. The service was provided to nearly 900 patients, and more than 4100 rehabilitation sessions were carried out.
Regarding the shortage of specialized cadres in the field of mental health, Dr. Youssef Al-Sarkal said that the total number of medical cadres specialized in the field of mental health in the institution reached 371, and human cadres were supplied between 2019-2021, with an increase of 47%.
He said that a unit was operated in the internal departments of Al-Amal Hospital, specialized in mental health for senior citizens. As for people of determination, the first clinic for mental disability in the country was operated, and the future expansion plan includes allocating internal departments and activating midway villas for patients with mental disabilities and people of determination.
Dr. Youssef Al-Sarkal said that the internal department of mental health for inpatients at Obaidullah Hospital was closed in 2019 for not keeping pace with international accreditation standards and the standards of health facilities, and at the present time there are specialized external mental health clinics in Obaidullah Hospital that receive approximately 50 visits per day, and there are also clinics Also for mental health in Al-Shaam Hospital and Mairid Health Center, beds were allocated in the internal departments of Obaidullah General Hospital to be used for emergency mental cases.
He explained that the rates of recovery from addiction in the institution’s facilities exceed international rates, and an integrated department has been allocated in Al-Amal Hospital, and the launch of an outpatient clinic service dedicated to treating addiction from opiates has been activated.
Dr. Youssef Al-Sarkal said: There are ambulances dedicated to mental health patients in the Dubai Ambulance Corporation and the National Ambulance Corporation, equipped to deal with them within their own protocol.
Parliamentary questions
In response to a question from Council member Youssef Al-Batran, the Minister of Health said regarding the establishment of centers for the treatment of diabetes, we are working following the issuance of the health insurance law to facilitate the participation of the private sector to engage in this type of initiative so that it covers these specialized centers.
Dr. Youssef Al Serkal, Director General of the Emirates Health Services Corporation, said that diabetes services have been integrated in 70 primary health care centers in the various emirates of the country, and there are 11 specialized units in most of the institution’s hospitals, and a model has been applied in Obaidullah Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, which contains all services Specialized and necessary for all diabetes patients under one roof and may constitute a model that can be applied in most of the institution’s hospitals.
In response to another question from Hind Al-Alili regarding the provision of insulin pumps in facilities affiliated with the Ministry of Health, the minister said that the pumps are available to all citizens and are located in the institution’s prepared center at Al Qassimi Hospital for Women and Childbirth, and the Foundation is the first to install the artificial pancreas, which is a more advanced device on The regular pump and service are available for those who wish and are available through the institution and can be delivered to anywhere.
Al Serkal said: The Emirates Foundation for Health Services has provided pumps in its hospitals since 2008, and the Foundation has also provided insulin pumps, and the Foundation was a pioneer in dispensing the first and latest insulin pump in the Emirates at Al Qassimi Hospital for Women and Children in June 2021, and the Foundation is the first to provide the artificial pancreas, It is considered an advanced device than the regular pump, and the service is available to the institution for those who wish to provide it to him.
Dr. Youssef Al-Sarkal said in response to a question from a member of the Council, Sabreen Al-Yamahi, regarding the delay in activating the health center in the Al-Akami area in Dibba Al-Fujairah, which has been in existence for 12 years, the center was built by a donor without supervision from the Ministry of Health and Community Protection, and the health center was evaluated by technical committees In the Ministry and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, it was found that the center did not meet the standards and conditions, as well as the futility of its maintenance, and by addressing the local authorities regarding it, it was reported that the institution can perform maintenance or replacement, and coordination with the concerned authorities is underway.
In response to a question from a member of the Council, Muhammad Issa, the disclosure regarding the prices of chronic medicines since 2011, the minister said, an initiative has been implemented to reduce the prices of medicines, which included 9,740 types of medicines. We note that the pricing of medicines varies from one country to another, and from one company to another according to the cost of living and renting places.
electronic cigarettes
The Minister of Health, in response to a question from Council member Dr. Sheikha Obaid Al Tunaiji, said regarding e-cigarettes and reducing e-cigarette smoking is one of the challenges and variables of the times and is traded randomly. Gulf Cooperation Council, to regulate and monitor this market, and Emirati standards on the subject are being developed.
The council referred the recommendations to the competent committee to be finalized, including the council’s request to integrate mental health into all policies and strategies for the education sector and the public community services sector, to include mental health services and basic medicines for psychotherapy in the health insurance system, and to distribute mental health centers and departments in a balanced manner. In all regions of the country.
Messages to the government
In the outgoing messages item, the Council reviewed two letters issued to the government regarding a request for approval to discuss the policy of the Emirates Development Bank, and on the recommendations of the Federal National Council regarding the issue of the Ministry of Justice’s policy regarding family guidance.
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1200 dirhams for a mental health treatment session
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Mohammed Ahmed Al Yamahi, a member of the council, said that the cost of mental health treatment is high, and most health insurance companies do not cover the treatment of mental health patients, pointing out that a single session of mental health treatment costs from 1000 to 1200 dirhams, which is borne by the patient, calling on the Ministry of Health to intervene in the matter.
The Minister of Health explained that there is a discrepancy in the provision of the service depending on the location of the center or health clinic, the equipment, the doctor’s expertise, and so on, and therefore it is difficult to determine a specific price for psychiatric services.
226,000 visits to care units
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Dr. Youssef Al-Sarkal said in a presentation at the beginning of the discussion that the number of human cadres specialized in the field of mental health increased in the year 2021 to 5461, an increase of 8.2%, and the number of visits by mental health patients to mental health care units in the country reached 226,352 visits in the year 2020, The highest percentage of patients with depression was 18.6%, patients with anxiety came in at 12.5%, and patients with schizophrenia 10.4%, which is consistent with international statistics.
