By: Diyana Ibrahim
BANDAR SERI
BEGAWAN
Monday, November 28, 2011
|
Dr Ramli Hassan, Head of Ripas Hospital's Psychiatric Service Department,
delivers his opening remarks during the World Mental Health Day 2011 Forum held
at Centrepoint Hotel, Gadong on November 26. Picture: BT/Yusri Adanan |
"THERE is no health without mental health," Dr Ramli Hassan, psychiatric
specialist and head of psychiatric services said during his welcoming speech at
the World Mental Health Forum last Saturday.
"To care for mental health
is as important as to care for physical health," Dr Ramli said.
"Mental
illness constitutes a very big cost," he added, "not only in terms of the
suffering endured by the mentally-ill patients, their families and friends, but
also in terms of financial costs from lower individual productivity, costs of
lifetime support for these patients and the yearly costs of treating and
recovering these patients."