GCMHP’s Director General, Yasser Abu Jamei, Presents Mental Health in the Gaza Strip at Workshop in Seattle, USA.

As part of his visit to the US to campaign for supporting mental health in the Gaza Strip,  Director General of Gaza Community Mental Health Progranmme delivered on Saturday, January 28, 2023, the keynote speech at a mental health workshop in Seattle, King County, Washington.  

In his speech Dr Abu Jamei explained the mental health state in the Gaza Strip and the psychosocial challenges that the people are enduring as well as the services provided by GCMHP to protect the psychological well-being of the population.  

Dr Abu Jamei also explained how the political and economic realities in the Gaza Strip as well as the feeling of insecurity and helplessness resulting from the volatile situation had impacted the mental health state of the people. In addition, he explained how GCMHP is trying to support the community through provision of specialized mental health services, supporting resilience and enhancing coping mechanisms.  

Around 200 people, including academics, officials and human rights activists,  participated in the workshop through attending in person or via the interment.  

Following the keynote speech, a discussion panel was held to discuss issues related to mental health and human rights. The panel included: His Honour Mr Damon Shadid, Seattle Municipal Court judge; Dr. Jonathan Kanter, Director, Center for the Science of Social Connection (U. Washington) Imraan Siddiqi, Executive Director, Council of American-Islamic Relations (Washington chapter); Dr Brian Baird, psychologist and former Congressman; Dr Yasser Abu Jamei, Director General of GCMHP, Gaza, Palestine.  

The discussion panel also included Ms Selma Al-Aswad, a healthcare researcher and current member of the Palestinian Feminist Collective, who was the moderator of the session.