"Emirates Health" Announces the provision of an innovative, long-acting treatment for schizophrenia
Dubai, July 26 / WAM / The Emirates Health Services Corporation announced the provision of BYANNLI treatment, developed by Johnson & Johnson, for schizophrenia patients at its Al Amal Mental Health Hospital, making it the first government hospital in the UAE to introduce and approve this innovative treatment.
This medication is characterized by being a long-acting medication that can be given at a rate of one dose every six months, which makes it one of the most prominent recent developments in the field of schizophrenia management.
His Excellency Dr. Issam Al Zarouni, Executive Director of the Medical Services Sector at the Emirates Health Services Foundation, stressed that the introduction of this innovative treatment reflects the Foundation’s continued commitment to providing the latest internationally approved treatment options and consolidating the UAE’s position at the forefront of countries seeking to develop mental health services in accordance with international best practices.
He pointed out that this step is a qualitative leap in the process of developing psychological care that contributes to improving patients’ experience and enabling them to obtain more sustainable and effective care, in line with the Foundation’s directions towards developing integrated care models that focus on the patient’s needs, quality of life, and long-term health outcomes.
Dr. Nour Al Muhairi, Director of the Mental Health Department at the Emirates Health Services Corporation, explained that continuity of treatment is one of the most prominent challenges associated with chronic mental illnesses, pointing out that providing BYANNLI treatment provides an advanced option that helps enhance adherence to the treatment plan, reduce the risk of relapse, and achieve higher levels of psychological and social stability for patients.
She added: “The more we succeed in supporting continuity of treatment and regular follow-up, the more this will reflect positively on the patient, his family, and caregivers, which makes this treatment an important addition to the mental health system that the Foundation seeks to develop in accordance with international best practices.”
The provision of the new treatment comes in response to the rapid global developments in the field of mental health and is designed to support sustainable control of symptoms and reduce the need for repeat therapeutic doses, which enhances adherence to treatment and the effectiveness of medical follow-up, and contributes to raising the efficiency of the use of health resources and improving care outcomes.
Schizophrenia is one of the chronic and complex mental disorders that may affect the lives of patients, their families, and caregivers if it is not managed continuously and effectively, which makes the sustainability of treatment and continuity of care among the basic pillars of reducing relapses, enhancing psychological and family stability, and improving the quality of life, in a way that supports the goals of the “Year of the Family” and the National Strategy for Quality of Life 2031.
Al Amal Hospital for Mental Health achieved outstanding results in applying long-acting treatments for patients suffering from chronic psychological disorders, which contributed to reducing the rate of readmission of patients to health facilities to less than 1%, and raising the rate of adherence to the treatment plan to 93%, in addition to achieving a noticeable improvement in psychological symptoms in 93% of patients, which reflects the quality of care provided and the efficiency of the therapeutic models applied.
By making this innovative treatment available within the government health sector, the Emirates Health Services Corporation continues to consolidate its approach based on providing proactive and integrated health services based on innovation, quality of care and its sustainability, which enhances community health and supports the UAE’s vision of building a world-class health system.
- For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Twitter
