Source : WAM
The SAKINA Integrated Mental Health Conference (SIMC-2026) opened on Friday in Abu Dhabi. Organised by SEHA, a subsidiary of the PureHealth Group, the two-day conference is taking place at the Conrad Etihad Towers Hotel.
Held under the theme “From Insight to Impact: Driving the Future of Mental Health,” the conference aims to translate scientific research, clinical best practices, and lived experiences into practical, measurable outcomes in mental health care.
The event brings together government entities, healthcare authorities, specialists, academics, policymakers, and healthcare leaders to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and accelerate system-wide impact. SIMC-2026 seeks to reaffirm integrated mental health as a national priority and a cornerstone of societal well-being.
Discussions will focus on innovation, equity, sustainability, and the delivery of compassionate, outcomes-driven care, highlighting the need for coordinated action across healthcare, policy, academia, and community sectors.
In her opening remarks, Sheikha Hamda bint Khalifa Al Nahyan, SAKINA’s Ambassador for Strategic Initiatives, emphasized that national strength stems from its people and adherence to family values. She noted that investing in human well-being is central to stability and prosperity and highlighted the UAE’s designation of 2026 as the “Year of the Family.”
Sheikha Hamda also reaffirmed that since the founding of the UAE, human well-being and quality of life have been at the heart of national development.
Dr. Zain Alyafei, Chief Executive Officer of SAKINA, commented, “Achieving sustainable national mental health goals requires collective responsibility across all sectors. SAKINA provides an important platform to strengthen coordination between government entities, healthcare providers, and community partners to support the development of resilient and future-ready mental health systems.”
Dr. Nahida Ahmed, SIMC-2026 Conference Chair and Chief Medical Officer of SAKINA, said that the conference aims to focus on translating evidence into practice to support integrated mental health systems that are evidence-based, compassionate, and focused on meaningful outcomes for individuals and communities.
