SAKINA Integrated Mental Health Conference 2026 Opens In Abu Dhabi Amid Focus On Outcomes

The SAKINA Integrated Mental Health Conference, SIMC-2026, is underway in Abu Dhabi, bringing together experts to connect research, clinical practice, and lived experience with measurable results in mental health care. The two-day event is hosted at the Conrad Etihad Towers Hotel.

Organised by SEHA, part of the PureHealth Group, SIMC-2026 highlights integrated mental health as a core national priority and a basis for social stability. The programme stresses coordinated work between healthcare, policy, academia, and communities to build systems that support long-term mental well-being.

Held under the theme "From Insight to Impact: Driving the Future of Mental Health," the conference focuses on moving scientific findings, best clinical approaches, and real-world experiences into daily services. It aims to ensure that policies and care models lead to clear, trackable improvements for people and communities.

Key discussions examine innovation, equity, and sustainability within mental health services, as well as the delivery of compassionate, outcomes-driven care. Government bodies, healthcare authorities, academic institutions, specialists, policymakers and healthcare leaders are using the event to build cross-sector partnerships and speed up system-wide progress.

In the opening address, Sheikha Hamda bint Khalifa Al Nahyan, SAKINA’s Ambassador for Strategic Initiatives, stressed the link between human well-being and national strength. Sheikha Hamda stated that nations rely on people, families, and shared ethics, and highlighted that investing in well-being underpins lasting stability and prosperity.

Sheikha Hamda explained that naming 2026 as the "Year of the Family" shows the leadership’s view that nation-building starts within the household. Sheikha Hamda also noted that, since the era of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE has put quality of life and human welfare at the centre of development plans.

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SIMC-2026 mental health conference goals and collaboration

Dr. Zain Alyafei, Chief Executive Officer of SAKINA, underlined the need for shared responsibility. Dr. Zain Alyafei commented, "Achieving sustainable national mental health goals requires collective responsibility across all sectors. SAKINA provides an important platform to strengthen coordination between government entities, healthcare providers, and community partners to support the development of resilient and future-ready mental health systems."

Expanding on the technical aims of SIMC-2026, Dr. Nahida Ahmed, Conference Chair and Chief Medical Officer of SAKINA, described how the meeting is structured around evidence use. Dr. Nahida Ahmed said that the conference aims to focus on translating evidence into practice to support integrated mental health systems that are evidence-based, compassionate, and focused on meaningful outcomes for individuals and communities.

Together, these priorities frame SIMC-2026 as a forum where UAE institutions and international experts can align around shared mental health objectives. The event supports national strategies on well-being, strengthens integrated care models, and encourages practical policies that reflect research findings, clinical insight, and the lived experiences of people across society.

With inputs from WAM