UAE lacks psychiatric care systems

Mental health issues are one of the main causes of suicide in the productive youth of UAE. According to Dr Ian Smith, President of mental health affairs in UAE, “One in four will get a mental illness at some point in their lifetime”.
Development of primary care system in psychiatry has been extremely slow in UAE. Patients cannot access medication as all drugs are classified under the same umbrella. However, the situation has slightly improved over a couple of years ago when psychiatrists couldn’t even prescribe a simple anti-depressant – now they can write two or three.
“Sedatives are dangerous drugs and need to be controlled, but anti-depressants are among the safest drugs,” vouches Dr Ian. “I am trying to get the restrictions lifted,” he added. Presently, Rashid Hospital, meant for secondary care services caters to most of the primary care cases.Also, there is no involvement of the private sector in mental health services. There is untapped potential in the private sector for psychiatric units. Unlike medical patients, psychiatric patients will stay for a month, and there will be hundreds queuing up. “I am not a businessman, but if I was, this is an opportunity of a lifetime,” he concluded.