The State of Kuwait has introduced new mental health services to address ramifications caused by the coronavirus pandemic in the past 18 months.
As life is returning to normal gradually with COVID-19 vaccination rates averaging over 70 percent, Kuwait Center for Mental Health (KCMH) succeeded in promoting the importance of mental health to everybody.
“The coronavirus pandemic forced countries of the world to close the borders and impose strict entry restrictions and quarantine, and restricted large gatherings in order to contain spread of the virus, which largely affected some segments specially those suffering from mental health issues,” Dr. Khulood Al-Ali, Director of KCMH, said.
Amidst devastating impact of COVID-19 on mental health, Al-Ali told KUNA, the World Mental Health Day, due tomorrow Sunday, was an opportunity to raise awareness about mental health issues.
COVID-19 affects society in general, she added, and this could cause growing anxiety. She said mental health cases could rise to 50 percent following coronavirus infections.
Al-Ali said the Ministry of Health (MoH) formed a team to provide therapy for health care workers and people infected with the virus. The ministry also provided video messages to help people overcome the pandemic and how to think positively.
There was also a support team to help people who were in quarantine or locked up during the lockdown periods, she said.
On the World Mental Health Day, Al-Ali said it aimed at raising awareness about importance of having a good mental health in order to address stress, depression, excessive anxiety and feeling of guilt. She said there were organizations that helped in raising awareness about mental health and how to improve the way society look at mental health patients.
Dr. Ammar Al-Sayegh, head of mental health department at KCMH, said the center was reaching out to the public in order to raise mental health awareness.
Speaking to KUNA, Al-Sayegh said COVID-19 has been impacting living and mental conditions of people around the world, in addition to restrictions on transportation and businesses coupled with hard-to-get health care.
Al-Sayegh commended media for spreading correct information about mental health conditions, and to explain that mental health diseases were just like other diseases, which could be treated.
Source: KUNA