This webinar was organised by the WHIG (Working Group on Family Medicine & International Health), in collaboration with Global Health Knowledge Centre (KCGH). The focus was on how healthcare professionals in primary care can support asylum seekers and statusholders with severe mental health problems, especially in situations where specialist mental health care is not (yet) accessible due to long waiting times. The webinar was attended by around 60 participants, including doctors' assistants, nurses, GGZ practice support workers (POH-GGZ) and doctors working with asylum seekers and status holders.
Content contributions were provided by internationally experienced psychiatrists Bert Nanninga and Pim Scholte, who combined clinical expertise with extensive experience in international and intercultural healthcare contexts.
Bert Nanninga, transcultural psychiatrist at I-Psy (Arnhem) and Baobab (Ede), addressed the impact of migration on health and common psychological complaints among asylum seekers. In doing so, he paid attention to cultural aspects of the doctor-patient relationship and explanatory models for serious mental disorders, based partly on his years of experience in both the Netherlands and low-income countries.
Pim Scholte highlighted the issues from his extensive experience in (post-)conflict areas and humanitarian settings, and his work in academic and specialised care contexts, including the Amsterdam University Medical Center and it ARQ National Psychotrauma Center. He elaborated on practical strategies for basic mental health care in primary care, considering feasibility, cultural sensitivity and continuity of care. It also considered the importance of social context, trauma and prolonged insecurity for asylum seekers' psychological well-being.
During the webinar, there was room for questions and exchange with participants. The discussion focused, among other things, on courses of action within primary care, cooperation with other healthcare providers and dealing with moral and professional dilemmas when appropriate follow-up care is lacking. The meeting underlined the importance of practical tools, cultural competence and interdisciplinary cooperation In supporting vulnerable groups within the Dutch healthcare system.
The recording of the webinar is available via KCGH's digital learning environment: elearning.kcgh.co.uk.
This webinar was part of the activities of NSGH working groups supported by KCGH, aimed at promoting knowledge exchange and multidisciplinary collaboration within the Dutch and international global health field.
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