Mental Health Week in Albania

On the 10th of October, in occasion of the World Mental Health Day, the Institute of Public Health in Albania held the National Mental Health Week on 10-17 October 2014, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Albanian Psychiatric Association, and with the support of the World Health Organization. 

Community mental health centers in four regions, (Elbasan, Shkodra, Tirana and Vlora), held open-door days to raise public awareness about mental health and address discrimination against people with mental health problems.

Mental health service users, family members, staff and authorities of local health services, members of the public and media focused on personal experiences and difficulties to live with mental health problems and recognized the need for more active mental health promotion at community level. 

The events served as a good opportunity to raise discussion among participants on the need for services, such as sustainable resources for social integration activities, access to home-based services, continuous workforce development, information and education for service users and family members.

 Information materials like posters and leaflets with the theme of the Day, “Living with Schizophrenia”, were distributed by health promotion teams to staff and service users, members of the public and media of the four regions. Young students from the regional music schools performed for the guests. The events were covered by national and regional media.