KRG, international organizations launch juvenile mental health hotline

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s health ministry in cooperation with international organizations on Monday launched a new hotline for juvenile mental health services across the region.

The hotline, open from 9 am to 10 pm from Sunday to Thursday, will be available for calls for under-18s for mental health concerns, including addiction, family issues, emotional support and reproductive concerns, according to a flyer published by the health ministry.

The project was undertaken by the Kurdistan Regional Government, United Nations Population Fund, the government of Sweden, and an Iraqi NGO, Together to Protect Humans and the Environment.

“The call recipients report the issue from those who call and refer them to the specialized public authorities,” health ministry spokesperson Dr. Aso Hawezy told Kurdistan 24 on Tuesday.

It can be reached via this number: 80000777

The hotline is the first of its kind to be launched in the Kurdistan Region and aims to provide vital mental health services to the young population.

International health organizations have warned of an uptick in mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the health crisis, the Kurdistan Region has faced economic challenges caused by a global drop in oil prices and fiscal disputes with the federal government in Baghdad.

Editing by Joanne Stocker-Kelly