Harvard Dubai hosts mental health summit
Dubai, June 9, 2009
Harvard Medical School Dubai Centre (HMSDC) Institute for postgraduate education and research, part of Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), hosted a conference on mental health with leading experts in the field.
The Mental Health Update 2009 conference was held yesterday (June 8) at the Park Hyatt Dubai by HMSDC, a member of Tatweer, one of the largest and fastest growing business conglomerates in the region.
“Globally, one in four people are affected by clinical depression,” said Dr Ajay Singh, chief academic officer of HMSDC, who opened the conference.
“Serious health problems such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes can also contribute to depression and in a few cases medications used to treat other medical conditions can be a factor,” he added.
According to the World Health Organisation, there are 121 million people worldwide suffering from symptoms of depression. There is no single cause and there is much debate over its exact nature. Causes can include genetic history, trauma, stress and major changes in lifestyle.
Dr Ayesha Abdullah, senior vice president of DHCC, said: “Traditionally, mental health has been something of a taboo subject in the Gulf region.
“Raising awareness to improve diagnosis and treatment amongst healthcare professionals and to exchange the latest thinking in this area is a priority and the HMSDC conference stresses the importance of a patient-centred, culturally sensitive, holistic approach to mental health disorders.”
The forum reviewed latest medical updates on the management of mental health disorders with a focus on fear and anxiety. It also examined bipolar disorders including new thinking on pharmacologic treatment, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression and neurological disorders, and novel treatments and future directions.
Participants of the forum that was approved by the HMSDC’s Department of Continuing Medical Education (CME) received a maximum of 6.5 credit hours as well as a Harvard Medical School Dubai Center certificate of attendance. – TradeArabia News Service
