Panel for mental health strategy formed at hospital

Manama: Chairman of Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Adel Al-Awfi said the hospital provides services round the clock to citizens and residents, in all sub-specialty of psychiatry, free of charge.

A total of 230 beds are available in the hospital, which is marked by 100 per cent Bahrainisation of the medical the workforce.

Dr. Al-Awfi pointed out that the hospital’s recent most important achievements were the formation of a committee to develop a strategy for mental health over the next 10 years and the employment of a number of doctors and nurses to meet the shortfall in the labour force.

They also opened a full-time mental health clinic in the Northern Province in the Shaikh Jaber Al-Sabah Health Center; the current covering of all Governorates of the Kingdom with regular mental health clinics, some of which are also available during night time. Besides the preparation of scientific research by some of the hospital staff and its publishing in local and regional scientific journals; the recent agreement with the Ministry of Labour and social Affairs through the employment office to transfer psychiatric patients after examining their ability to work to a coordinator to find them suitable training.

As for the most important challenges faced by the psychiatric hospital, Dr. Al-Awfi noted the existence of two wings, one of Psychiatry for youth and another with private rooms, both of which are in need of recruiting specialist nurses in order to be opened. 

The development plan includes the establishment of a centre for addiction in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, and work to create centres for mental disability and autism, including day centres. It is noteworthy that the psychiatric hospital is a training centre for doctors from Saudi Arabia in the specialty of children and teens.

Students from the college and the Royal Irish University of the Arabian Gulf are also trained.