*MoPH and healthcare partners collaborate with organisations across Qatar for ‘Are You OK?’ campaign
The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Sidra Medicine, Naufar and Qatar Red Crescent Society, has launched a mental health and well-being awareness campaign, ‘Are You OK?’, aimed at encouraging people to talk more openly about their emotional well-being.
The MoPH and healthcare partners are initiating the national awareness campaign as part of the World Mental Health Day 2021 activities.
Building on the success of last year’s campaign, this year’s ‘Are You OK?’ campaign is a collaboration with participating organisations across Qatar that aims to encourages everyone to talk more openly about our mental health. By asking a relative, friend or colleague ‘Are you OK?’, and by asking it in the right way, this can help start a conversation with someone we care about who may be finding it difficult to speak openly about their struggles, the ministry has said in a statement.
Dr Kholoud al-Mutawa, head of the Non-Communicable Diseases Section at the MoPH, said: "The ministry has paid great attention to promoting mental health for all segments of society, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the impact it had on mental health of the population. Therefore, the Ministry of Public Health, in collaboration with its health partners, has started many interventions to reduce the pandemic's negative impact."
She added: “The 'Are you OK?' campaign seeks primarily to attract and drive as many members of the community to combat stigma and talk about their mental health, as this is the first step to enhance awareness of how to deal with the pressures of daily life and avoid anxiety and stress, as well as interact with others and make good decisions."
“Last year proved very successful and attitudes towards mental health are changing in a positive way. We are building on that success and healthcare partners across the system are collaborating with more than 20 organisations throughout Qatar to engage them in this campaign with a view to raising awareness even further,” said Mahmoud al-Raisi, chair of the National Taskforce for Mental Health and Well-being and chief of the Continuing Care Group at HMC.
“Every month on a set day, this network of organisations will share standard information, videos or educational material, highlighting a key mental health and well-being message, across social media channels. With more than 20 organisations participating in this initiative, these messages will reach a significant number of people in Qatar,” explained al-Raisi.
The National Health Strategy 2018-2022 lead for Mental Health and Well-being, Iain Tulley, said this initiative represents an important aspect of Qatar’s Mental Health Strategy and the National Health Strategy 2018-2022: “Our strategic plans for Mental Health and Well-being aim to help reduce stigma, improve access and integrate care. Providing easy access to confidential services, which are free from stigma, is key to improving the health and well-being of our population. The campaign is designed to encourage people who are facing a time of personal difficulty and are in need of emotional support, to seek help quickly, to enhance and hasten recovery to good health.”
Dr Samya al-Abdulla, deputy national lead for Mental Health and Well-being and executive director of Operations at PHCC, said: “It is wonderful to have the support of so many organisations across the country. This initiative is a perfect example of cross-sector collaboration, with organisations from many sectors outside of health, each playing their part in raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing. Mental health is everyone’s business and I commend and thank all our partner organisations for supporting this campaign and helping create an environment where mental health is talked about as openly as physical health.”
In recent years, the healthcare sector has significantly expanded services and improved access to mental health services, enabling it to meet the increased demand for mental health support and bring services closer to people’s homes. “With the fear of stigma being a key factor in preventing many people from seeking help for psychological distress, the launch of the mental health helpline in April 2020 has been one of the most impactful developments in recent years,” noted Dr Majid al-Abdulla, chair of the Mental Health Service at HMC.
“Since its launch, the confidential helpline has handled over 35,000 calls and the launch of mental health virtual consultations across the healthcare system has also enabled greater access to care, resulting in a greater number of people being able to benefits from psychological support. In November 2020, we also established a virtual women’s mental health service to focus specifically on the mental health needs of females who present for the first time to the mental health services. This new service has become an important part of our virtual mental health services, with users reporting very high satisfaction rates,” added Dr al-Abdulla. For more information about the ‘Are You OK?’ campaign and to see a list of collaborating organisations, one can visit https://sehanafsia.moph.gov.qa
The MoPH and healthcare partners are initiating the national awareness campaign as part of the World Mental Health Day 2021 activities.
Building on the success of last year’s campaign, this year’s ‘Are You OK?’ campaign is a collaboration with participating organisations across Qatar that aims to encourages everyone to talk more openly about our mental health. By asking a relative, friend or colleague ‘Are you OK?’, and by asking it in the right way, this can help start a conversation with someone we care about who may be finding it difficult to speak openly about their struggles, the ministry has said in a statement.
Dr Kholoud al-Mutawa, head of the Non-Communicable Diseases Section at the MoPH, said: "The ministry has paid great attention to promoting mental health for all segments of society, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the impact it had on mental health of the population. Therefore, the Ministry of Public Health, in collaboration with its health partners, has started many interventions to reduce the pandemic's negative impact."
She added: “The 'Are you OK?' campaign seeks primarily to attract and drive as many members of the community to combat stigma and talk about their mental health, as this is the first step to enhance awareness of how to deal with the pressures of daily life and avoid anxiety and stress, as well as interact with others and make good decisions."
“Last year proved very successful and attitudes towards mental health are changing in a positive way. We are building on that success and healthcare partners across the system are collaborating with more than 20 organisations throughout Qatar to engage them in this campaign with a view to raising awareness even further,” said Mahmoud al-Raisi, chair of the National Taskforce for Mental Health and Well-being and chief of the Continuing Care Group at HMC.
“Every month on a set day, this network of organisations will share standard information, videos or educational material, highlighting a key mental health and well-being message, across social media channels. With more than 20 organisations participating in this initiative, these messages will reach a significant number of people in Qatar,” explained al-Raisi.
The National Health Strategy 2018-2022 lead for Mental Health and Well-being, Iain Tulley, said this initiative represents an important aspect of Qatar’s Mental Health Strategy and the National Health Strategy 2018-2022: “Our strategic plans for Mental Health and Well-being aim to help reduce stigma, improve access and integrate care. Providing easy access to confidential services, which are free from stigma, is key to improving the health and well-being of our population. The campaign is designed to encourage people who are facing a time of personal difficulty and are in need of emotional support, to seek help quickly, to enhance and hasten recovery to good health.”
Dr Samya al-Abdulla, deputy national lead for Mental Health and Well-being and executive director of Operations at PHCC, said: “It is wonderful to have the support of so many organisations across the country. This initiative is a perfect example of cross-sector collaboration, with organisations from many sectors outside of health, each playing their part in raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing. Mental health is everyone’s business and I commend and thank all our partner organisations for supporting this campaign and helping create an environment where mental health is talked about as openly as physical health.”
In recent years, the healthcare sector has significantly expanded services and improved access to mental health services, enabling it to meet the increased demand for mental health support and bring services closer to people’s homes. “With the fear of stigma being a key factor in preventing many people from seeking help for psychological distress, the launch of the mental health helpline in April 2020 has been one of the most impactful developments in recent years,” noted Dr Majid al-Abdulla, chair of the Mental Health Service at HMC.
“Since its launch, the confidential helpline has handled over 35,000 calls and the launch of mental health virtual consultations across the healthcare system has also enabled greater access to care, resulting in a greater number of people being able to benefits from psychological support. In November 2020, we also established a virtual women’s mental health service to focus specifically on the mental health needs of females who present for the first time to the mental health services. This new service has become an important part of our virtual mental health services, with users reporting very high satisfaction rates,” added Dr al-Abdulla. For more information about the ‘Are You OK?’ campaign and to see a list of collaborating organisations, one can visit https://sehanafsia.moph.gov.qa