The first-ever mental health conference in the Maldives has commenced.
The Oevaru Mental Health conference is being organised by the National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). The conference is being held in conjunction with World Mental Health Day. The theme of this year's conference is Changing Currents - Forming Connections.
IGMH stated that pre-conference workshops of the conference were held on October 14 in Male' City, with the remaining sessions scheduled at Villa Nautica Resort Maldives from October 15-16. The conference will feature a range of sessions including keynote speeches, research presentations, and panel discussions. Over 100 participants have registered to attend the conference including mental health providers and various institutions working to promote mental health.
The government has made efforts to raise public awareness and encourage mental health treatment over the past five years. The commitment materialised with the establishment of NCMH, the first-ever department exclusively focused on mental health in the Maldives. The service has been introduced in tertiary hospitals and regional hospitals to expand mental illness treatment in the atolls. As such, there has been a notable shift in public perceptions of mental illness, leading to a significant increase in individuals seeking treatment.