The World Health Organization's (WHO) country office in Jordan, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and other partners, will celebrate the World Mental Health Day 2014 with the theme "Living with schizophrenia" on October 13.
As part of the World Mental Health Day activities, a national campaign under the theme "Living with mental illness" was launched between 15 to 25 September 2014, reaching out to citizens and refugees living in Jordan, a WHO statement said on Sunday.
The campaign aims to promote mental health awareness through lectures, group discussions, interviews and dissemination of educational material in different settings, such as schools, universities, community-based organizations, health centers and public arenas, the statement added.
The national campaign will conclude with a celebration of the World Mental Health Day 2014 under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Muna Al Hussein on October 13.
Mental health is an integral and essential component of health. The WHO constitution defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." An important implication of this definition is that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.
The statement added that the organization and the Ministry of Health have been supporting the scaling up of mental health services, raising awareness and capacity building, advocating against social exclusion, stigma and discrimination on account of mental illness and mobilizing resources in support of the mental health sector.