Jamal, 62, is a Palestinian residing in Nahr Al-Bared camp, in North Lebanon. Jamal studied mechanical engineering in the United States of America, but he could not practice the profession when he came back to Lebanon. He was forced to find any job to support his family, which had an impact on his mental health.
“I suffered from anxiety, depression, and phobia. I was scared to go out of the house. One day, a friend told me about Médecins sans Frontières, so I visited their clinic. I’ve received psychological support sessions from their psychologist, and a doctor prescribes my medication,” says Jamal. “I don’t have to worry about buying my medication because MSF provides them for me on a monthly basis, or else I would have to pay more than 100 USD per month. After one year of therapy, I am now much better. I can go out on my own; my fears disappeared.”
Jamal received mental health consultations and pharmacological treatment in MSF clinic in Abdeh, Akkar, as part of the Mental Health Gap program which MSF is implementing since 2017. This program is based on training physicians on how to prescribe medication for some of the patients suffering from mental disorders where needed, under the supervision of an external psychiatrist and in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team.