Making health services available in all regions of the country and stepping up awareness-raising activities on the importance of mental health were the main themes of the working session held Friday between Health Minister Ali Mrabet, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Tunisia Ibrahim Zik and expert on mental health strategies at the World Health Organisation (WHO) Jean-Luc Roelandt. The meeting was an opportunity to review a range of activities scheduled as part of the revision and updating of the national mental health strategy, devised under a partnership between the Health Ministry and the WHO, according to a Health Ministry press release. Mrabet commended on the occasion, the fruitful cooperation between the department and the WHO to improve mental health and enhance the coverage of these services within front-line institutions and structures, notably through the joint training programme, and to upgrade the skills of front-line doctors and nurses in the mental health field. He also und erlined the need to implement and adopt effective methods to raise awareness of mental health, to avoid risk factors and to seek treatment and medical care when needed, and to provide specialised medical and health services and frameworks for the benefit of all categories and nationwide. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse