PureHealth launches SAKINA for Children Mental Health Network in Abu Dhabi

UAE— PureHealth has launched SAKINA for Children, a dedicated mental health network designed to expand specialised services for children and adolescents across Abu Dhabi.

The new programme extends the existing SAKINA mental health system and focuses on improving access to integrated, child-centred care for individuals up to 18 years of age.

The initiative brings together outpatient care, early intervention services, and specialised inpatient treatment under one coordinated framework.

As a result, families can access a continuous care pathway that supports children from diagnosis through treatment and follow-up.

The launch also aligns with the UAE’s focus on strengthening family wellbeing and building resilient communities.

Comprehensive services for early diagnosis and intervention

SAKINA for Children delivers a wide range of services that address developmental, behavioural, and psychological needs.

These include child and adolescent psychiatry, developmental paediatrics, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, behavioural interventions, and structured family psychological support.

In addition, clinicians design personalised care plans based on each child’s developmental stage and clinical condition.

This approach ensures that treatment remains tailored, responsive, and consistent with the child’s family environment.

The programme also supports early identification of conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and learning difficulties through standardised assessment tools used in global practice.

Evidence-based clinical framework and inpatient care

The care model integrates internationally recognised diagnostic frameworks such as ADOS for autism assessment, WISC for cognitive evaluation, and Conners Rating Scales for ADHD screening.

These tools help clinicians deliver accurate diagnoses while shaping targeted treatment plans.

For children requiring intensive support, SAKINA for Children offers specialised inpatient services for acute psychiatric stabilisation and neurodevelopmental care.

 These units follow strict child safety and therapeutic engagement standards, while also incorporating family participation in the treatment process.

Care teams combine psychiatric management with behavioural and psychological therapies to ensure continuity from admission to discharge.

Network expansion and multilingual accessibility

SAKINA for Children can support close to 500 children each month through its specialised programmes.

The services operate across a multilingual environment, offering care in Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu, and Malayalam to serve Abu Dhabi’s diverse population.

The broader SAKINA network includes 34 satellite clinics, two mental health hubs, two psychiatric inpatient facilities, two neurodiversity centres, and nine integrated clinics within tertiary hospitals.

Together, these facilities strengthen access to mental health services across the emirate while supporting coordinated referrals and specialist care.

Leadership and broader healthcare integration

Her Excellency Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi from the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi said the initiative reflects a commitment to early intervention and holistic child wellbeing through an integrated healthcare system.

Meanwhile, PureHealth Group CEO Shaista Asif said the programme aims to reshape how mental health services support children and families through continuity and clinical excellence.

Dr Zain Ali Al Yafai, CEO of SAKINA, added that the model focuses on integration between mental and physical healthcare while strengthening family involvement throughout the treatment journey.

Recently, PureHealth has also continued to expand its digital health capabilities and system-wide integration efforts across its hospital and specialist care platforms in the UAE healthcare sector.