HMC’s mental health service wins top award
The World Health Organisation’s Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) recently announced that Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), represented by the Mental Health Service, has won an international Health Workers Recognition Award at its regional committee meeting.
The award recognises the untiring efforts and service of healthcare workers throughout this year, especially in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among the select group of award winners announced at the committee meeting was Dr May al-Muraisi, senior clinical psychologist and clinical director for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services HMC, who won the Service Delivery Award.
The EMRO stated that the award recognised the tireless efforts of Dr al-Muraisi and the mental health team in addressing the mental health and well-being of Qatar’s population during the Covid-19 pandemic by establishing the Mental Health Helpline in a very short span of time.
The Mental Health Helpline allows people who may be experiencing stress or anxiety to seek professional mental health support by calling the helpline to speak to a dedicated team of mental health professionals.
Among the key contributors to the development of the helpline were Katja Warwick-Smith, assistant executive director, Clinical Service Development; Raed Amro, assistant executive director of mental health services: Shahanaz A Ahmed, clinical psychologist and Dr Shazger Hamad, the clinical lead for women’s virtual services.
Dr Majid al-Abdulla, chairman, psychiatry and medical director of the Mental Health Service at HMC, said: “Covid-19 forced us to change many aspects of how we live our lives and caused many people to feel frightened, confused, anxious and low.
“The launch of the Mental Health Helpline has enabled people experiencing stress and anxiety to gain fast access to professional mental health support. With the helpline having managed more than 37,000 calls to date, it has been one of the most important and valuable services throughout the pandemic and continues to offer people in Qatar much-needed support.”
Launched in April 2020 by HMC’s Mental Health Service in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and Primary Health Care Corporation, the helpline is staffed by a team of mental health professionals who can provide assessment and support to callers. The helpline has managed over 37,000 calls since its launch and currently receives 200 to 300 calls a week.
“I am honoured to receive this award and I am delighted to accept it on behalf of the entire team in the mental health service who have worked tirelessly since the start of the pandemic. We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved by establishing the Mental Health Helpline. Every day, we provide professional advice and support to hundreds of people experiencing emotional distress,” added, Dr al-Muraisi.