Mental and Social Health Atlas: An Update, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia, 2015

Background: Mental health (MH) is an extremely integral component of health and accordingly there is “no health without mental health’’.

Objective: Based on the concept of World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Division Model, this paper updates to the previous published Mental and Social Health Atlas 2007-2008, Ministry of Health (MOH), Saudi Arabia.

Methods: Besides reviewing the MOH health and statistical documents and social reports of Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA), relevant data was collected from all mental health and social settings using predesigned semi-structured formats.

Results: Over a period of seven years, several gaps earlier found in mental health systems (MHS) were bridged. The infrastructure and human resources developments in line with national MH planning were regularly monitored in order to successfully implement the projects tailored to meet the needs of people with psychiatric disorders and their caregivers.

Conclusion: Overall, tremendous progress has been made in several components of mental health systems, which include infrastructure, human resources, clinical and community services, continuing medical education, legislation and governance, health promotion and research. There is persistent need to further improve mental health systems in Ministry of Health related to community mental health, forensic psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, addiction, promotion and preventive services, governance and finances, research and training of mental health professionals across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.