Qat consumption in Yemen - knowledge and practice of mental health policy makers and other stakeholders

Purpose - This paper seeks to report the findings of a half-day workshop on the impact and control of Qat, held in Yemen in February 2010. Senior mental health policy makers, professionals and leaders of mental health non-governmental organizations (NGOs), were present as part of a wider five-day national stakeholder conference to develop national mental health strategy for Yemen, at the request of the Social Development Fund for Yemen and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. The purpose of the half-day workshop was to examine the knowledge and practice of senior Yemeni mental health policy makers and other stakeholders in relation to Qat. Design/methodology/approach - The stakeholders were purposively selected by the Yemen Social Development Fund to provide representation from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Human Rights, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Department of Prison Administration, which is linked to the Ministry of the Interior, United Nations Childrens Fund, various mental health NGOs and psychiatrists and psychologists from the main universities in the country. The stakeholders were divided into four workgroups, and each group was given a specified theme to discuss for an hour, namely the impact of Qat on the Yemen economy, health and society and measures to control the use of Qat. All participants were also asked if they habitually chewed Qat. Findings - The stakeholders (professionals, policy makers and leaders of NGOs) were very knowledgeable about the physical, psychological and social effects of habitual Qat consumption, and yet all except one were habitual chewers. Originality/value - Efforts to discourage the chronic use of Qat will need to be strenuous, consistent and coordinated across sectors. Knowledge of health and social risks alone is unlikely be sufficient to bring about change.