Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) organizes conference "Restoring Hope: Mental Health in the Middle East" in honor of World Mental Health Day 2024

RSP Mental Health
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10 Oct 2024
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AMMAN, October 10, 2024 – People across the Middle East continue to face myriad mental health issues amidst continuous war and conflict, while challenges including stigma are hampering health professionals to address mental healthcare in the region, says Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). 


The Middle East is heavily impacted by conflicts, leading to urgent and long-term mental health care needs,” says Davide Musardo, MSF mental health regional advisor. “This is the case for patients from Palestine, Syria, Yemen and Iraq, where children suffer from panic attacks because physical pain triggers psychological wounds, for example, when pain reminds them of an incident, like a bomb blast, that changed their lives forever. Calmer children draw drones and military jets.”


“While we adapt to each crisis, we need structured mental health interventions integrated into a comprehensive and holistic healthcare process. At the Reconstructive Surgery Hospital in Amman, our teams aim to address the numerous mental health issues faced by people exposed to the trauma of war through multiple approaches, including vocational and art therapy,” says Musardo. 


Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, MSF will host the conference, ‘Restoring Hope: Mental Health in the Middle East’, aiming to discuss some of the challenges our teams face in addressing the massive needs for mental health in the region, through panel discussions from mental health experts and survivors of trauma who will share their experiences. 


The conference will bring together policymakers, mental health experts, NGOs, and academic stakeholders from across the Middle East to address the critical and often overlooked issue of mental health in the region. Among the speakers are His Royal Highness Prince Hassan bin Talal, Jordan Minister of Health Dr. Firas Al Hawari, Country Representative for the WHO Dr. Jamela Al-Raiby, and MSF mental health regional advisor Davide Musardo,.


The conference will take place on Thursday 10 October, from 10 am to 5 pm at the Regency Palace Hotel in Amman. It will feature plenary sessions, panel discussions, and an art exhibition showcasing artwork created by children during art therapy sessions, in collaboration with young artists, from MSF’s Reconstructive Surgery Hospital. The conference provides a valuable networking opportunity for professionals to exchange knowledge and to foster collaboration on the topic of mental health care.