Doha, May 21, 2023: Hamad Medical Corporation is organizing the ninth Qatar International Mental Health Conference from May 25 to 27, 2023 at the Sheraton Grand Doha Hotel, Resort and Convention Center. This is in cooperation with the Primary Health Care Corporation in the State of Qatar and the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the United Kingdom.
This year's conference program will address several topics suitable for healthcare professionals interested in mental health and wellness; Supporting the mental health and well-being of the population in the State of Qatar occupies an important place at the top of the agenda of the Ministry of Public Health and Hamad Medical Corporation.
For its part, the World Health Organization is committed to working to make “mental health and well-being for all” a global priority. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has worked closely with the State of Qatar on many projects related to mental health over the past decade. Within the framework of this cooperation, the Qatar International Mental Health Conference will witness the participation of six lecturers from mental health experts from the World Health Organization, including Dr. Khaled Saeed, Regional Advisor for the Mental Health and Addiction Control Program at the World Health Organization, who will speak about “Promoting Mental Health for All.”
In turn, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Public Health, stressed that education and health education is an essential factor for improving the health of the population, and said: “To ensure our ability to provide the most effective mental health services, especially in a multicultural society like ours.” "State of Qatar, we need to promote a culture of learning and the exchange of experiences and knowledge. This conference represents an important platform to enhance the exchange of knowledge between health care personnel, whose knowledge will benefit members of society who seek support and assistance regarding their mental health."
Keynote presentations by international speakers include Dr Trudi Seneviratne, Consultant Psychiatrist and Member of the UK's Royal College of Psychiatrists, who will lecture on perinatal mental health for women, and Professor Paul Gately, Chief Executive of the More Life Foundation and Professor of Sports Science and Obesity at the College of Carnegie Mellon Sports Science Professor at Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom, who will lecture on the topic of the impact of obesity on mental health at various stages of life.
The conference will also include other lecturers discussing a variety of topics, including Her Excellency Dr. Sayyida Basma Al Said, a mental health specialist from the Sultanate of Oman, who will lecture on the topic of the cultural context of mental health and empowerment, and Mr. Michael Richardson, chief trainer at the Generation Amazing Foundation of the Supreme Committee. For Projects and Legacy, which will highlight during his lecture the importance of sport for mental health through the Generation Amazing initiative model.
In turn, Mr. Ian Tully, Priority Leader for Mental Health and Well-Being in the National Health Strategy and CEO of Mental Health Services at Hamad Medical Corporation, stressed that the State of Qatar has demonstrated a great commitment to promoting mental health and well-being, saying: “This conference represents an ideal platform to showcase international expertise, local achievements and the best Practices in the field of mental health, and I am pleased that through this conference we can present the results of cooperation with our partners such as Qatar Airways, who play an exceptional role in promoting the well-being and wellness of employees, and the work that is being carried out with schools with the aim of helping children, teachers and parents deal with many challenges. "In addition, during the conference, we will share lessons learned from the National Mental Health Helpline, which has provided specialized support to frontline healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic."
The list of participating lecturers in the conference includes experts from Qatar Foundation, Qatar University, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Sidra Medicine, the NAFAR Center and the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies in Qatar, in addition to the “Young Mothers” group in Qatar, and a number of other parties.
Conference participants receive up to 23 continuing professional development (CPD) hours through in-person attendance, and up to 13.75 CPD hours through remote attendance.
