Doha, October 01 (QNA) - HE Minister of Public Health Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud stated that the Sixth Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit and its deliberations reaffirmed the joint commitment to improving mental health at all national, regional, and global levels.
In a speech delivered at the conclusion of the summit Wednesday evening, His Excellency pointed out that the outcomes of the ministerial summit and the key priorities it identified contribute to enhancing investment in mental health, innovation, digital solutions, equity, inclusivity, cooperation, and knowledge exchange, which in turn help address major global mental health challenges and work towards sustainable improvement in mental health services for all.
The ministerial summit, held over two days under the patronage of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, approved a number of important priorities aimed at supporting governments in translating commitments into national action plans that achieve tangible improvements in mental health care for their populations.
During the closing session of the summit, held under the theme "Transforming Mental Health through Investment, Innovation and Digital Solutions," it was announced that the Republic of Rwanda will host the seventh summit next year.
The ministerial summit featured a rich program of sessions and events, including two panel discussions, six workshops, and a number of accompanying activities, where officials, policymakers, and specialists discussed pressing mental health issues to develop global strategies, with the participation of 64 local and international speakers.
The summit included important sessions and workshops during which health ministers, leaders of international organizations related to mental health, experts, and specialists addressed key topics related to advancing mental health care globally.
In a public session focused on accountability in mental health for children and adolescents, speakers reviewed the mechanisms necessary to ensure that commitments are translated into concrete actions and impact on the mental health of children and youth.
HE the Assistant Professor at the College of Education at Qatar University, former Dean of the College of Education, and Founder of the Wellbeing and Career Development Trainingآ Center Sheikha Dr. Hessa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani presented a talk on restoring authentic recovery culture and its important relevance in the field of mental health.
The summit also featured a public session on global commitment to national action and key messages and implications of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases, in which HE Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population of the Arab Republic of Egypt Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, HE Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Bahrain Dr. Jalila bint Al Sayyed Jawad Hassan, Regional Director of the World Health Organization for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr. Hanan Balkhy, and Undersecretary of Health in the Government of the Philippines Dr. Mary Anne Palermo-Maestral, spoke.
The speakers discussed the highlights of the United Nations High-Level General Assembly meeting held earlier in September, which addressed mental health as a key issue.
The public session aimed to support and encourage member states to translate the statements of the United Nations High-Level Meeting into concrete actions for implementation. (QNA)