Dubai
The Ministry of Health and Prevention recently organised awareness lectures to raise Sharjah taxi drivers’ awareness about mental disorders.
The ministry was represented by its Specialised Care Department of Hospitals Sector, and the lectures were organised in collaboration with Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority.
A medical team from the ministry conducted examinations for 100 drivers to assess their acquaintance with mental disorders causes and treatment. The team distributed brochures on mental disorders, including how to control these disorders and the places where drivers can go for diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Mona Al Kuwari, director of the Specialised Care Department, said the initiative targeted taxi drivers because their mental health forms a key factor in maintaining the safety of passengers.
“We need to raise their awareness about mental disorders so that they can protect themselves and consequently maintain their passengers’ safety. Our aim is to enhance prevention programmes and early detection of mental disorders through the promotion of awareness programmes and ways of dealing with anxiety and depression, in addition to rehabilitating and supporting people with mental disorders, as well as engaging them in the community,” Dr Al Kuwari added.
She said the mechanism of carrying out this initiative featured awareness and preventive lectures — in English and Urdu — among Sharjah taxi drivers and conducting pre-and post-tests in order to determine their knowledge about mental disorders.
Dr Al Kuwari praised the cooperation with Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority for the third year in a row to organise this event, which also highlighted that global statistics show the impact of mental disorders on the increase of road accidents.
