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NEWS LETTER - 4

WORLD ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Vol. I, No. IV, Fourth Issue, January, 2000

http://geocities.com/wiamh2001/

 
 

q        CONTENTS / SOMMAIRE

 

q       MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT  PROF. DR. OMAR SHAHEEN

§          6th International congress of the Islamic Association for Mental Health: Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzgovina, August 13-15, 1999

§          THANKS TO PROFESSOR DR. M.R. CHAUDRY.

§          FAREWELL: DR. SELIM AMMAR:

§          HELD IN TUZLA ON AUGUST 13th, 1999

§          CALL FOR WIAMH MEETING

§          FAREWELL, DR. GAMAL ABOU EL-AZAYEM:

 

q       SUMMARY / RESUMES

 

q       MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT  PROF. DR. OMAR SHAHEEN

A new President does not mean a new era. It means some new ideas and some new additional efforts to be invested in our Association for the betterment of all. I summarize the Association’s goals in the coming years as follows;

1.    More integration of the activities of all-local associations and individuals in one whole.

2.    More efforts to fulfill scientific and social goals of the association including team research, mutual exchange of experience, delivering lectures and holding seminars.

3.    The need to help in developing new local associations in countries where there are no such activities.

4.    I hope that we can change our newsletter to a scientific magazine that can express the ideas and research in the area of mental health in Muslim countries. This object requires a sufficient budget to fulfill.

5.    More participation in national and international conferences. Last August I shared in the 6th International Congress of WIAMH which was held in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was a privilege and an honor to be there in that unique place as part of such a distinguished company.

We are proud, indeed, that three of our member organizations were the originators of this unusual conference: The world Islamic Association for Mental Health, Psychiatry Association of Tuzla Canton, and The International Center for Psychosocial Trauma (University of Missouri, Columbia, USA). Together, with the leadership of Dr. Osman Sinanovic, and under the auspices of the Government of Tuzla Canton they organized a successful Congress on Islamic Trauma Psychology.

I was personally deeply grateful to participate in launching this unique enterprise and look forward to the opportunity for extensive interaction in future Congresses.

In the very near future we have arranged to hold a WIAMH session in a world Congress entitled:

International Congress of Egyptian Mental Health NGO: Psychiatry & Mental Health Services in the Coming Century. It will be held in the Nile Hilton C15-17 February 2000). I sincerely invite you to give your share to this enterprise, Fax (202) 2678336 – 2678338.

 It will be an opportunity for members of WIAMH to meet and contribute to WIAMH session and to the whole Congress.

 As the Holy Month of Ramadan is coming soon I would like to congratulate all members hoping for them an acceptable fasting and happy Byram.

§          6th International congress of the Islamic Association for Mental Health: Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzgovina, August 13-15, 1999

  This Congress was organized by the World Islamic Association for Mental Health, Psychiatry Association of Tuzla Canton, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine., University of Tuzla (B&H), International Center for Psychosocial Trauma (University of Missouri, Columbia, USA). It was under the auspices of the Government of Tuzla Canton.

 The chairman of the organizing committee of this International Congress was Prof. Dr. Osman Sinanovic, Minister of Health, Tuzla Canton.

The central theme which cross cut this Congress was: Traumatization: an Islamic Perspective. All aspects of Traumatization including Diagnosis, Prognosis, Treatment, Prevention of Post Traumatic Stress were adjusted to the Islamic Cultural Context. There were also valuable papers about the incidence of P.T.S. These epidemiological projects were carried out in order to do pre-planning for mental health facilities, planning in process and evaluation of outcome as an integral part of policy making. The Congress covered traumatization of women, children, adolescents and adults and Post-Traumatic Community Impairment.

  The Congress was preceded by A one week Course in Trauma Psychology. It was given to mental health workers who came from different traumatized areas including Bosnia & Herzegovina and Cosovo. The course was organized by the International Center of Psycho Social Trauma (University of Missouri Columbia, U.S.A).

All the papers presented at this Congress will be published in the proceedings.

Keynote lecturers include S.A. Husain (U.S.A), A.A. Al Azayem (Egypt), O. Shaheen (Egypt), M.A. Javed (U.K.), A. Gangat (South Africa), Farouk Sendiony (Egypt), M.Ceric Raisu –1– Ulama (B&H), O. Nakicevic (B&H), R.Hafizovic (B&H), I. Ceric (B&H), F. Honihodzic (B&H), J. Ziga (B&H), Hasanovic (B&H), Pajevic (B&H(, and O. Sinanovic (B&H).

 PROF. DR. OSMAN SINANOVIC:

PROF. DR. Osman Sinanovic, Minister of Health, Tuzla Canton, worked very hard to bring the WIAMH 6th Congress to a successful conclusion.

 The organization of this great congress required a lot of work involving the government and the Mayorship of Tuzla. These efforts overtaxed the energies of Dr. Sinanovic and his staff. We wish to congratulate him and his staff for doing a distinguished job. One can’t argue with success. With these great accomplishments Dr. M.R. Chaudry ends his term of Presidency.

 

§          THANKS TO PROFESSOR DR. M.R. CHAUDRY.

Dr. M.R. Chaudry was not able to attend, for health reasons. However, we had the pleasure of the presence of his son Haroon Chaudry who was an active participant in the congress. We wish that Dr. M.R. Chaudry recover sooner than soon. He is one of the founding fathers of WIA.M.H. For Drs. M.R. Chaudry, G.M. Abou El-Azayem, O. El Rady and O. Shaheen, WIAMH was a dream. And never dies the dream. In 1983 they established WIAMH during an international congress held in Vienna. Since that time they fought the good fight to keep this association against overwhelming odds.

A special thank to Prof. Dr. M.R. Chaudhry for all his great achievements.

 

§          FAREWELL: DR. SELIM AMMAR:

On behalf  of WIAMH Prof. Dr. Omar Shaheen and Dr. Gamal Abou El-Azayem wish to extend their sympathy and condolences to the family of Professor Dr. Selim Ammar. Dr. Ammar : An International Psychiatrist in his own right is a pioneer in the area of Transculture Psychiatry and specially in the area of Islamic Psychiatry died in Paris last Saturday 6th  November 1999, May Allah give peace to his soul and support for his family. We also express our deepest condolence to our very dear friend: Professor Dr. Anwar El Garaya.

MINUTES OF THE BOARD MEETING OF WIAMH

 

§          HELD IN TUZLA ON AUGUST 13th, 1999

 The meeting was chaired by the President of the Association, Prof. Dr. O. Shaheen who started his term of presidency. It was attended by:

1.    Prof. Dr. Omar Shaheen.

2.    Prof. Dr. Syed Arshad Hussain.

3.    Prof. Dr. A.E. Gangat.

4.    Prof. Dr. Farouk Sendiony.

5.    Dr. Ahmed Abou El-Azayem.

6.    Dr. Haroon Chaudhry.

7.    Dr. Muhammad Afzal Javed.

8.    Prof. Dr. Osman Sinanovic.

9.    Dr. Abu Bakr Badahdah.

 Drs. Gamal Abou El-Azayem, Muhammed R.Chaudhry, Osama El-Rady, apologized, being ill. We wish all them a speedy recovery.

 Dr. Ahmad Abou El-Azayem briefed the board about the budget. The budget was approved.

 Dr. Mohammed Farouk El-Sendiony briefed the board about the activities of the Association since the board meeting in Holiday Inn, select, Columbia, Missouri, on 11-12 July, 1998.

Prof. A.E. Gangat who was specially invited to attend the meeting was introduced by Prof. A.Hussain. He was nominated by the board as vice president of the association for South Africa. It was suggested that next international congress to be held in South Africa. Dr. Gangat agreed to explore this possibility. If this proposal takes off the ground Prof. Gangat will be the co-ordinator for this congress and the head of the organizing committee.

 Finally the meeting unanimously elected:

1.    Dr. Gamal Abou El Azayem as a life secretary of WIAMH.

2.    Prof. Dr. Syed Arshad Hussain as President-Elect.

 It was also decided that the next meeting will be in Cairo and next bienial meeting will be in South Africa.

 

§          CALL FOR WIAMH MEETING

We cordially invite members of WIAMH to attend the next meeting on November the 10th 1999. It will be held at 6 PM at Abou El-Azayem Hospital before the regular symposium. The meeting will be chaired by Prof. Dr. Omar Shahin. Dr. OsamaEl Rady and Dr. Gamal Abou El- Azayem, two distinguished pioneers in Islamic Mental Health will also attend

 

§          FAREWELL, DR. GAMAL ABOU EL-AZAYEM:

DR. OMAR SHAHEEN, President of WIAMH, DR. FAROUK SENDIONY AND ALL WIAMH members regret  the death of Dr. Gamal Abou El-Azayem who passed away on the 4th of December 1999. Dr. Abou El-Azayem, the distinguished Egyptian Arab Muslim psychiatrist was himself a pioneer in adjusting modern psychiatry to the culture of Islam. A distinguished Egyptian psychiatrist and international scholar, Dr. Abou El-Azayem developed the theme that religion and mental health were not antithetical, His view was that modern psychiatry was imported to the Muslim World from the West and should be allowed to refine its identity within the context of Islamic culture.

 Abou El-Azayem went on to become one of the Muslim Worlds’ foremost international psychiatrist ; and a dynamic mental health leader known for his sophistication. For his vision and dedication he was elected by the World Federation for Mental Health as President between 1985-1989. As the first Muslim to be elected to this international post, he has become a symbol of what made that vote possible: the Muslims’ renewed self -confidence and national pride.

 For nearly 60 years – my God, 60 years Gamal Abou El-Azayem used Psychoeducation of the whole community as a way to promote mental health. This took him everywhere; to schools, clubs, local and international congresses, mosques where he gave lectures, held seminars etc… He never missed an opportunity to use the press, the radio and T.V. More than that, he established a quarterly to spread the message of mental health-Mental peace.

 He believed that addictive drugs should not only be treated, should not only be legislated away, it should also be educated way, He never tired of educating young people of the hazards of using psychoactive drugs. HE suffered a heart attack while he was giving a public lecture in Alexandria. For hundred of thousands who grew up on his talks on mental health in the Radio and T.V.his death is a significant loss. They will sorely miss him. Now, Gamal Abou El-Azayem the body has died, But Gamal Abou El-Azayem the legend will certainly prove as deathless as any outstanding figure in Egyptian culture and the history of his beloved Egypt.