The role of the psychologist in the mental health team: Experience of Aden Neuropsychological Hospital
MENA Dubai 2003 Abstract
Author Fathia Al Sorrori
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Translation
In the name of God the most gracious and merciful

The psychiatric and psychological hospital in Adan (Republic of Yemen) is considered to be the first and oldest hospital, not only in Adan but in the whole Arabic peninsula and East Africa. It was founded in 1966 in the name of "Peace Sanatorium". During that time, the excessive number of sick persons on the street was considered as a burden by the British Colonial Government. These patients were transferred to Adan prison because there were no psychiatric hospitals. Since then the mental health law was applied, and each patient had a file mentioning the date of his admission and his treatment.

In the early 1970s things got more organized. Men and women were separated and with the development of the professional service, the medical-psychological social cadre was getting more specialized. 2 days per week were assigned to the outpatients from different cities. 2 divisions were created: the psychology and social division. The women took a risky role and provided the therapeutic services to the patients such as planting and knitting. Psychotherapy is considered to be one of the most successful types of therapies. It helped the patient overcome his dependence on drugs. It also changed the perception of the society on the patient. Before that the sanatorium was associated with prison and this would give the patient the feeling of isolation. The patients' family started to appreciate the psycho-therapy sessions through the study of the patients' childhood, hereditary and environmental factors of the disorder and the behavior modification after clinical therapy instead of using sorcery. Thus the psychologist helps the patient to be aware of all his issues and complexes and to overcome them. Before that the psychologist had difficulty confronting the patient and in obtaining psychological tests and scales. Nowadays (beginning 1987) the new hospital is surrounded with residences, which gives the patient a feeling of security and hope that his situation will get better.

The goals of this paper:

  • History of the hospital and the conditions where it was founded
  • The development and the expansion of the hospital. Some statistics showing the development of professional services in the medical-psychological-social cadre
  • Role and duties of the psychologist in the medical team
  • Problems and obstacles faced by the psychologist at the hospital
  • Successes, programs applied and recommendations for a better and more developed performance
The paper used comparative studies of induction programs, took data from the hospital's documents, and on the researchers experience of more than 20 years.