WPA Review Q4 2021

Dear Friends,

As we welcome in the new year, we look back at 2021 as being another tough year for us all. Uncertainty about the COVID situation, limitations in our travel and difficulties in getting connected have been the major issues that have affected our professional work and personal lives during this year. However, this period has also given us some motivation and new insight to work under difficult circumstances and life continued despite all such problems.

With the last WPA eNewsletter of 2021, I am pleased to share with you some of the work that WPA has been able to complete during last year. I would like to express my thanks to the Executive Committee, Council and Zonal representatives who have continued to meet regularly and for their continuous support and dedication to keep WPA’s work as a priority in their personal and professional priorities. WPA components, including our Member Societies, Affiliated Associations, Scientific Sections and our 2020-23 Action Plan Working Groups were exceptionally great in keeping the momentum for their international work.

In addition to the pandemic, we have also seen the current situation in Afghanistan deteriorating. It is not only causing humanitarian crisis, but the current unstable situation is also adding concerns about provisions and delivery of health care for the general population. We at the WPA were particularly concerned and as part of our ACRE project, worked with our fellow Afghanistan mental health professionals to offer on-going support through the provision of medicines, patient assessments and training. This resulted in the opening of a virtual clinic for Afghan patients, and we have also started to send medicine and food to various mental health units. We were able to do this with the support of neighbouring WPA member societies (Pakistan & Iran) and a two Pakistan NGOs (Fountain House & Horizon). A similar clinic in Farsi is being established with the support of Iranian Psychiatric Association.

We very much enjoyed our successful virtual WCP 2021 that took place in October. As always, the current pandemic is all about adapting and innovating – and we feel that we were able to redesign the event from the ground up to ensure that we could bring the most pressing clinical, academic & research topics to our membership. I am also pleased that we have already started working for our 22nd World Congress of Psychiatry to be held in Bangkok from the 3^rd – 6^th of August 2022. Together with the Psychiatric Association of Thailand and supported by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Thailand & Department of Mental Health, Thailand, we are hoping to organise this next Congress as an in-person meeting again. However, as we have learnt with the pandemic over the past years, we will continue to monitor the situation closely and will make a decision closer to the time. There are also several Thematic congresses planned for 2022, so please do regularly check the WPA website meeting programme for further information.

WPA’s drive to encourage and inspire learning among colleagues and trainees around the world has led to offering more online educational activities in the last quarter. We were delighted to organise, support and promote several new educational modules, courses, teaching sessions and recordings of our educational activities. These included:

ICD & Yoga courses
Free webinars on Early Intervention
Webinars from Psychopharmacological action plan group
Video and sessions in various countries for medical students
Continue work from Co Morbidity action plan
Public Mental Health group publications and plans for organizing virtual meetings in different places

As always, Keep an eye on this page for any details of upcoming courses.

As we kick off the new year, we are optimistic that the challenges that will undoubtedly come as the full impact on mental health following this pandemic, will be resolved. Like many, WPA is learning fast with the changes and looks forward with confidence to its future, remaining fully committed to fulfilling the WPA’s triennium’s goals! Let's shape the future of psychiatry and mental health together.

Best wishes,
Afzal

Dr. Afzal Javed
President, World Psychiatric Association

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