In the past, much of the stigmatization around mental health in Kuwait has stemmed from the idea that parents are to blame for the mental illnesses of their families and that those seeking help and relief have done so at the cost of their reputations. However, in recent years, Kuwait has been doing much to reframe this narrative in three major ways:

Kuwait’s First Mental Health Law

The Kuwait government issued Law No. 14 in February 2019 to protect individuals with mental health issues. This marked a major stride in the country’s efforts to improve its response to mental health concerns, mainly because there was no previous law governing mental health in Kuwait. Before the implementation of the Mental Health Law, individuals experiencing mental health challenges couldn’t be held at a facility, even if leaving posed a risk of harm. However, Article 11 of the Mental Health Law grants physicians the authority to detain patients for up to 72 hours during an evaluation period (the “Assessment Period”). This detention protects patients and others around them from danger. It also provides a clear guideline for what to do when one is incapable of self-care or consenting to voluntary assessment or treatment.

Additionally, the law sparked the creation of the Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC), whose members are responsible for following up on the application of the law and its regulations. The implementation of the MHCC means that for mental health in Kuwait, there is a body of individuals dedicated to protecting the rights of mental health patients by developing policies in their best interests. One of these rights includes the fact that, under the Mental Health Law, those with mental health conditions should not be prohibited from obtaining a job, marking the law’s intent to prevent stigma and isolation for mental health patients in the workforce.

Kuwait’s Response to the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

As a result of the pandemic, rates of anxiety and depression, especially among the elderly and those with disabilities, increased, possibly due to fears about harboring the disease in conjunction with isolation and lockdowns limiting access to medical support. In response, the Kuwait Ministry of Health, through the country’s Center for Mental Health and Central Administration for Primary Care, launched several new initiatives to both improve health care access and overcome the limitations of isolation and lockdowns:

• The Kuwait Center for Mental Health launched a hotline (+965 2462 1770) that operates daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• The Ministry of Health launched an interactive platform called “Shlonik,” which provides health information to patients, monitors their safety and provides psychosocial support.
• Specialized psychiatric clinics delivered psychotropic medicines to patients’ homes, allowing for the continued progress of their treatment.
• Mental health care providers working in the private sector utilized social media, newspapers and TV channels to provide education regarding coping with psychological problems. Some providers even offered frontline workers free remote psychosocial support.

Nonetheless, it’s crucial to acknowledge that migrant workers and stateless individuals residing in Kuwait, often living in close-knit communities, have disproportionately felt the impact of COVID-19. This is due to their disadvantaged position, as they do not have access to free secondary health care. Access to mental health services remains a significant issue for this demographic, given the steep costs associated with diagnosis, psychiatric consultations and therapy sessions, which are considerably higher than those for Kuwaiti nationals.

The Improvement of Mental Health and Wellness Services in Kuwait

The Fawzia Sultan Health Care Network (FSHN), founded in 2006, is Kuwait’s first and only nonprofit mental health provider. It has been providing many health care services, including family medicine, cardiology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and psychological services in research and education settings.

While it started as a specialized physiotherapy clinic, the organization soon realized that the health care needs of Kuwait ran much deeper. So, its approach expanded and became much more multidisciplinary. This expansion marked a shift in attitudes regarding mental health in Kuwait and is likely one of the factors that ultimately led to the creation of the Mental Health Law in 2019. The early efforts of FSHN and the later development of the Mental Health Law serve as evidence of the impact that dedication to a specific cause can have, even if that impact is only realized years later.

Final Remark

In a region where mental illness is still considered taboo, the Mental Health Law, along with the impact of health organizations and wellness services, highlights a continuous effort in Kuwait to improve protections for patients with mental illnesses.

– Avery Fuller
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