Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, affiliated with Emirates Health Services (EHS), announced the winners of the first Al Amal Award for Scientific Research across various categories after a thorough review process, awarding certificates of appreciation and incentives to researchers who have made notable contributions to the mental health field.
The Hospital organized an awards ceremony that brought together prominent experts, hosting a session where presentations were given by more than 50 researchers. The award also recorded a significant turnout with more than 70 applications received, including 22 published scientific papers and 54 posters, presented by doctors, health professionals, students, and trainees, covering a wide range of topics related to psychiatry.
The event also included a keynote lecture by Dr. Marc Woodbury-Smith, a lecturer from Newcastle University in the UK, who specializes in the genetics of autism spectrum disorder.
Dr. Noor Al Mheiri, Director of the Mental Health Department at EHS, said: “The Al Amal Award for Scientific Research offers an ideal opportunity to recognize outstanding researchers, encourage more contributions to mental health care, and foster collaboration among researchers and healthcare institutions in the UAE. Prestigious academic institutions, such as the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, and United Arab Emirates University, were on board as partners and made significant and active contributions to this initiative.”
“The first edition of the award is a crucial part of Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital’s strategy,” Dr. Al Mheiri added. “It reflects its commitment to scientific research in the field of psychiatry and plays a part in driving the development of healthcare services and improving patient outcomes. These awards mark the beginning of the continuous process of developing scientific research in this field, promoting innovation, and improving mental health care in the UAE.”
For his part, Dr. Ammar Albanna, Director of Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, said: “Al Amal Award for Scientific Research reflects Emirates Health Services’ vision and commitment to improving the mental health care system by incorporating scientific evidence and research. Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital is dedicated to recognizing and encouraging scientific research in the mental health field, and strives to inspire researchers to contribute to the development of mental health care in the UAE, in line with our vision to provide holistic clinical services to patients of all ages and with various psychological disorders.”
EHS organizes several award programmes and initiatives to promote scientific research in psychiatry. These efforts aim to develop the capabilities of researchers in the field and encourage innovation, knowledge exchange, and learning from various experiences. Moreover, these awards serve to highlight new discoveries and innovations in psychiatry, thereby contributing to the development of scientific practices and evidence used in this field.