Prince Hassan launches conference on mental health

AMMAN — HRH Prince Hassan on Thursday attended the launch of Médecins Sans Frontières' (MSF) conference, "Restoring Hope: Mental Health in the Middle East".

Coinciding with World Mental Health Day, the event addressed key mental health challenges in the region, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In the opening session, titled "Pathways to Progress: Addressing Barriers to Mental Health Services in the Middle East," Prince Hassan called for collective action among stakeholders to achieve comprehensive healthcare. 

The prince also stressed the importance of partnerships, emphasising that mental health is a fundamental aspect of overall well-being.

Prince Hassan highlighted that investing in mental health is ultimately an investment in human capital, the most valuable resource in any society.

The prince also urged a shift in perspective, advocating for citizens to be seen not as passive recipients of care but as active contributors to building a society grounded in dignity, empowerment and self-reliance.

Addressing regional conflicts, particularly in Gaza, the prince said that these are battles over the basic right to life, emphasising the need to support the 17,000 unregistered children in Gaza who lack family support. He also stressed that efforts must prioritise future generations and the workers aiding them on the ground.

Citing World Health Organisation (WHO) data from 2020, Prince Hassan noted a 30 per cent rise in mental health disorders due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pointed out that 25 per cent of refugees and host communities in Jordan have been diagnosed with mental illnesses. He also stressed that mental healthcare must be accessible to all as a vital component of human dignity.

Prince Hassan also called for a deeper understanding of living conditions through a multidimensional deprivation index that measures factors like healthcare access, education, and quality of life.

The prince also outlined three key humanitarian challenges in the region: human conflicts, such as wars and their aftermath; environmental crises, including climate change; and man-made emergencies, such as pandemics.

Minister of Health Firas Hawari underscored the country's commitment to prioritising mental health, noting a significant rise in non-communicable mental illnesses in recent years. 

Hawari also expressed optimism about Jordan’s potential to become a regional hub for mental health services, provided challenges such as expanding training programmes, increasing the number of qualified professionals, improving infrastructure, and integrating mental health into primary care are addressed.

WHO Representative in Jordan Jamila Raibi noted that nearly one billion people worldwide suffer from mental health disorders, emphasising the regional challenges posed by increased conflict, which has led to a surge in refugees and displaced populations, resulting in heightened emergencies.

Raibi stressed that addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts between governments and international organisations to ensure sufficient mental health support.

Mariana Duarte, mental health advisor for Médecins Sans Frontières, called for the promotion of the right to access mental health services, particularly in conflict-affected areas.

As part of the event, Prince Hassan also inaugurated an art exhibition featuring works by patients from MSF’s reconstructive surgery centre in Amman.