AMMAN — HH Prince Mired bin Raad, Lord Chamberlain and President of the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (HCD), paid a surprise visit to Al Karama Mental Health Centre to get a closer look at the reality of the services provided to persons with mental and intellectual disabilities enrolled at the centre.

 

During the visit, Prince Mired met with Director of the Centre Bandar Sultan, who gave a detailed presentation on the most prominent challenges faced by the centre, according to a HCD statement on Wednesday.

 

Despite the efforts made to support the mental health sector, “there is a clear shortage in the numbers and specialisations of human cadres needed to ensure the provision of acceptable quality services to beneficiaries,” said the statement.

 

Sultan also pointed to the urgent need to update medical and rehabilitation equipment and devices, including the equipment of occupational therapy rooms, laboratory, kitchen, sleeping facilities and maintenance of the building and its accompanying garden, to ensure quality services that meet the needs of the beneficiaries.

 

He also pointed out that some families abandon the beneficiaries in the centre, which prevents them from being reintegrated into their families.

 

During the visit, Prince Mired emphasised the importance of enhancing the quality of services provided to persons with mental and intellectual disabilities, and the need for concerted efforts between relevant authorities to provide a safe and stimulating rehabilitation environment that preserves their dignity and rights.

 

This visit was within the framework of the HCD's keenness to follow up on specialised institutions in the field, and work to overcome obstacles that prevent persons with disabilities from obtaining “high-quality” services that meet their requirements, according to the statement.