Oman Air recently contributed in sponsoring a Charity drive organized by Ibn Sina Hospital for psychopaths during the Muscat Festival 2007, in addition to an awareness contest on mental health. The Charity aims to highlight the fact that psychological patients are still capable of giving within their obtainable potentials. In order to refute the many myths and conceptions surrounding mental illness, the drive also highlights the importance of psychological treatment meted out to patients with the aim of creating public awareness.
Corporate Communication and Media Department stated that the contribution by the National Carrier in sponsoring this event comes in line with the Sultanate’s ambitious plans of providing the best in health care. To this effect a policy which has been adopted as a National policy at the highest official level indicates the main purposes of the national health care is in fact “everyone’s right”. With this in mind, the long standing progress on psychological health has always been of importance to the Sultanate, which is evident in the active implementation drive of the National Program of Mental Health.
They then affirmed that the cooperation between the private sector and the governmental bodies emphasizes the unity of the community to facilitate this segment of society, which cannot be overlooked. The Sultanate has paid great attention to this aspect considering that the first Psychiatric facility for the care of psychopaths which started with one doctor in Al Rahma hospital in 1975, developed into a full fledged facility in November, 1983. Ibn Sina Hospital, the organizers of this charity drive, is fully equipped with the necessary functions needed for Psychiatric treatment. The charity event includes women’s handicrafts exhibition, theatrical and musical troupes, competitions, painting exhibitions, etc, and Oman Air takes pride in supporting this noble cause.
It should be noted that the National Omani Program for Mental Health discussed and finalized at a national workshop held in March 1990, was attended by professionals and planners of various sectors. The main purpose of the program was to provide mental health care for all, taking into account measures for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation and an appropriate psychosocial and behavioral workplace and family life in the community. It is worth mentioning that the most important strategies that have been identified comprised of the integration of mental health services within general health care, the establishment of an administrative structure, the implementation of the mental health school, the establishment of programs to address substance abusers, the training of professionals and to educate the community about mental health besides field research.
