Public health minister, WHO representative and the Step-by-Step team from the National Mental Health Pogramme, receiving the 2023 UN Interagency Award for noncommunicable diseases prevention and control and mental health. Photo credit MOPH Lebanon.30 June 2024, Beirut, Lebanon – The National Mental Health Strategy for Lebanon 2024–2030 has been officially launched by Lebanon’s National Mental Health Programme, in collaboration with WHO Lebanon and with support from Agence française de développement.
The launch event was held at the École supérieure des affaires (ESA) in Beirut under the patronage of Minister of Public Health His Excellency Dr Firass Al-Abiad and His Excellency Mr Hervé Magro, Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of France in Lebanon.
In his speech at the launch, HE Dr Al-Abiad emphasized that every effort has been made over the past 10 years to create and implement such a strategy in Lebanon, despite the country’s scarcity of resources and challenging circumstances. The Ministry of Public Health will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders to implement the new strategy.
HE Ambassador Magro highlighted: “The new National Mental Health Strategy in Lebanon is based on principles and values that we share: the universality of access to care, the dignity and rights of patients, and the importance of prevention and education in the field of mental health.”
Dr Abdinasir Abubakar, acting WHO Representative to Lebanon, explained that the strategy serves as a road map to address all the building blocks of the mental health system, in line with national priorities. It integrates evidence-based actions to promote and empower individuals; build capacity; improve access to high-quality mental health care, including through prevention of harmful practices; enhance research and the availability of data; and establish legal frameworks and policies.
Dr Rabih Chammay, Head of the National Mental Health Programme in Lebanon, gave a detailed overview of the National Mental Health Strategy for Lebanon 2024–2030. He highlighted the strategy’s key pillars under implementation and stressed that it is a top priority to enhance mental health during crises. The programme will continue to work with all partners to reform the mental health system, to ensure that everyone in Lebanon can access high-quality mental health services nearby and at minimal cost.
The event began with welcome remarks by Mr Maxence Duault, Director General of ESA, which Ms Rana Jreissati Rizk gave on his behalf. She stated that ESA’s commitment to support the new strategy’s implementation stems from a deep conviction that success can be achieved together with all relevant partners, even amid challenges. ESA harnessed all available resources and expertise to contribute significantly to each phase of this initiative.
Human rights activist and President of the Justice for Mental Health initiative Ms Sasha Hajj Assaf expressed her commitment to work collaboratively to ensure that every mental health service user in Lebanon enjoys their dignity and human rights.
At the launch, the Ministry of Public Health’s Step by Step programme was recognized for winning, in 2023, the Award for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Control and Mental Health from the United Nations Interagency Task Force on NCDs. The Minister of Public Health then presented an award to the National Mental Health Programme, which had worked closely with WHO to develop, test and expand Step by Step, an evidence-based, proven, free digital self-help intervention for depression.
A report on the effectiveness of mental health investment in Lebanon was also presented at the event.
Find out more about the new strategy and explore available mental health services and resources on the National Mental Health Programme’s website at:https://resources.nmhp-lb.com
