Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar is welcomed at an event organized by the Saudi Charity Society for Schizophrenics in Riyadh on Monday.

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar on Monday launched an awareness initiative on behalf of the Saudi Charity Society for Schizophrenics and the Psycho-Social Center of the organization at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Addressing the event, Prince Faisal urged citizens and expatriates to support the organization’s work, which he said would be in line with support for the needy advocated by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy premier and interior minister, and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, second deputy premier and defense minister.

Princess Samira bint Abdullah Al-Farhan, the chairperson of the organization, thanked Prince Faisal for his support. She provided an overview of the organization’s services provided for patients and their families.

She also gave those present insight into various aspects of the illness, how the organization was working with similar bodies in developed countries, and the establishment of a center for studies and research into the affliction. She called for the creation of specialized centers for patients.

The event was attended by Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG) Managing Director Dr. Azzam Al-Dakhil and Arab News Editor in Chief Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi.

Abdullah bin Saud Al-Miaiqil, undersecretary at the Ministry of Social Affairs for Social Care and the Family, said there tends to be less focus in the community on people suffering from schizophrenia.

Ibrahim Al-Khidair, deputy chairman of the organization’s board, also provided a briefing on the disease, and said that 25 percent of patients show improvement after being placed on certain medication. He said more should be done to set up special centers to help these people.

The organization was established in 2010 as a specialized entity to help patients with schizophrenia. There are currently 250,000 people with the illness in the Kingdom. It is estimated that one out of every 100 people has schizophrenia. They make up one percent of the world’s population.

Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG) Managing Director Dr. Azzam Al-Dakhil and Arab News Editor in Chief Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi greet guests and invitees at the event.

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