AMH hosts Mindful Summit 2025

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The American Mission Hospital (AMH) hosted the Mindful Summit 2025, a oneday symposium dedicated to the science and clinical practice of mental health, on Saturday, April 26 in their hospital auditorium in A’Ali.

Opening the event, Dr. George Cheriyan the Corporate CEO, highlighted the urgent need for mental health initiatives across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, noting that approximately 15% of the population experiences mental health issues annually. “It is important that governments focus on improving the mental wellbeing of citizens, thereby also reducing the economic and social costs to individuals and organizations,” he said.

The symposium brought together around 150 participants, including doctors, nurses, students, professors, and mental health practitioners from schools and universities across Bahrain. A series of expert-led sessions covered a broad range of topics, from the genetic underpinnings of mental health conditions to neuromodulation techniques and strategies for suicide prevention.

One of the highlights of the event was a presentation by Dr. John Stapert, a Clinical Psychologist from Phoenix, Arizona, USA, who discussed the significant impact of the female reproductive system on mental health. His talk explored how stages such as menarche, hormonal cycles, childbirth, nursing, and perimenopause influence clinical treatment decisions.

Other notable speakers included Dr. Charlotte Awad Kamel, Consultant Psychiatrist and Professor at RCSI Bahrain; Dr. Huda Moosa Omran, Molecular Genetics Specialist at Al Aljenan Medical Center and former lecturer at Arabian Gulf University; and Dr. Frans J. Cronje, Specialist in Aviation and Aerospace Medicine at King Hamad American Mission Hospital.

During the closing session, AMH’s Chief of Medical Staff, Dr. Deepak Abraham, expressed his appreciation for the symposium’s organizing committee, led by Dr. Feba Paul and her colleague Dr. Vivek Mathew, both members of AMH’s Mental Health Department and Child Development Unit.

The Mindful Summit 2025 marks yet another important step in AMH’s ongoing efforts to promote mental health awareness and education in Bahrain and the wider region.