GCMHP participated in Al-Awda First International Conference with a research paper entitled "The Repercussions of the War of Extermination on the Provision of Mental Health Services

Dr. Nour Hassan, Director of Gaza Community Center, presented a paper at Al-Awda First International Conference entitled: “The Repercussions of the War of Extermination on the Provision of Mental Health Services.” The paper highlighted the catastrophic effects of the war on the mental health sector, including:

* Widespread damage to mental health services and infrastructure as a result of the war.

* Severe shortages of personnel and psychiatric medications.

* Operational challenges and difficulty accessing services.

* The impact of the war on mental health service providers themselves.

* The most vulnerable groups, such as children, orphans, women, and released prisoners.

The paper also addressed emergency psychological response mechanisms and the importance of integrating mental health and psychosocial support services within the comprehensive humanitarian response.

Recommendations included:

* Supporting and protecting mental health personnel during humanitarian crises.

* Integrating mental health services into all humanitarian interventions and responses.

* Expanding community-based mental health services and mobile clinics.

* Prioritizing children, orphans, women, people with disabilities, and released prisoners in psychological interventions.

* Ensuring the availability of psychiatric medications and continuity of care for chronic conditions. And severe.

* Strengthening community recovery programs and building long-term psychological resilience

 While emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable funding to rebuild the mental health sector in Gaza.

Dr. Nour Hassan stressed during her participation that mental health in Gaza is no longer a secondary issue, but has become an essential part of life-saving humanitarian interventions in light of the ongoing collective trauma experienced by the population.