Mounir Ekdawi

bmj;381/apr21_10/p886/FAF1faMounir Ekdawi was a visionary of community mental health reform, as well as an acclaimed artist. It was symbolic of this dual gift that his first solo painting exhibition at the famous Atelier Art Centre in Alexandria coincided with his medical graduation. Sigmund Freud’s influence, however, shifted the balance, and young Mounir moved to the UK a year later to pursue a career in psychiatry.This formative training period was marked by the predominant institutionalised and custodial care, and limited treatment options for patients with chronic mental illness. These experiences and observations shaped Mounir’s philosophy on the holistic integration of psychiatry with multiple life skills. He soon had the opportunity to put his novel ideas into practice as consultant at the rehabilitation service of Netherne Hospital in Surrey. The network of work and accommodation facilities in the community, dedicated interdisciplinary team, and volunteer input were both unusual and unique in the…
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