WHO and Ministry of Health, Iraq train representatives of MoH on QualityRights initiative

The training was conducted to strengthen the quality of mental health services and human rights conditions in health facilities providing mental health services in Iraq and provide recommendations for the full national implementation of the WHO QualityRights initiative. The training also offered an opportunity to empower representatives of MoH by acquiring tools related to the QualityRights initiative.

"We expect participants to use these tools at the health facility level and generate and share reports of the outcomes with MoH and WHO," said Dr Bruni Andrea, Technical Officer for Mental Health, Iraq. "The Quality rights initiative offers a fundamental approach to mental health care which is rights-based and recovery-oriented," added Dr Bruni.

QualityRights is a WHO global initiative to improve the quality of care provided by mental health services and promote people's human rights with psychosocial, intellectual, and cognitive disabilities. It offers a new approach to mental health care that is rights-based and recovery-oriented. In Iraq, WHO will use the QualityRights to change mindsets and practices sustainably and empower all stakeholders to promote rights and recovery to improve people's lives with psychosocial, intellectual, or cognitive disabilities everywhere.

Over the past years, the Iraqi people have witnessed un-suitable conditions such as conflicts, violence, and recently the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that negatively impacted mental health. With these challenges, mental health becomes one of the top health priorities in Iraq. WHO and MoH continue to work closely to strengthen mental health through capacity-building and the provision of mental health supplies like medicines. Several efforts have also been put in place to decentralize mental health services, integrate mental health into primary health care, and ensure that international standards of quality and human rights are met.