By: Azlan Othman
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| Minister of Health delivering his speech - Picture by: Azlan Othman |
Statistics from new cases and follow-up treatment at RIPAS outpatient department have indicated that it surged from 3,889 in 2002 to 6,082 cases in 2010.
This was stated by the Minister of Health, Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Md Yusof, when officiating a forum on World Mental Health Day 2011 organised by the Psychiatry Department of RIPAS hospital yesterday.
The minister said the World Health Organisation estimated that the disease burden from mental and attitude disturbances worldwide would surge 15 per cent in 2030 if no appropriate actions are taken.
In the Pacific region, some 100 million suffered from mental and neurological disturbances.
The indication on the rise in mental disease and disturbances as well as neurological worldwide has been obvious and alarming. Among the factors that influence mental health include dramatic changes in the social environment, misuse of drugs and its relation to physical diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart and blood pressure which could cause disturbances to the individual and family's mental.
However, there is still a wide avenue for the local community to improve the condition by controlling and preventing cases and mental disturbances in this country.
The Ministry of Health has taken serious note of the mental healthcare in this country. The ministry, based on the strategic supporting documentation of WHO on mental health, has undertaken a more focused action in stages covering approaches that were proven to be effective.
These include advocation or spreading information and knowledge to enhance public awareness, enhancing the provision of services and assessment at the national and localised level, promoting mental health, reviewing the policy and law on mental health to make the health services and programmes more effective and to protect those with mental disease and disturbances as well strengthening the capacity building and encouraging the culture of research on mental health.
Advocation could create positive impact and change public perception towards the patients and those who suffered from mental disturbances. We did not want stigma or discrimination to exist towards them, but instead should help not only in terms of treatment or rehabilitation but also in enjoying the appropriate facilities. We should not look down and to isolate them from the community.
The minister also said realising the legal aspect on mental disease was enacted way back in 1929 called Lunacy Act, the Ministry of Health is currently reviewing and fine tuning to establish a more appropriate and relevant law to cope with the current trend and environment as well as the development of mental health care.
The changes to the legal provision are aimed at providing protection and the rights for treatment and healthcare as well as welfare to those who suffer from mental disease and disturbances.
The minister also called for the Psychiatry Department at the Ministry to update its information system on mental health, which covers not only on information but also mental healthcare services, analysis, research on the need for such services. This is crucial for the system planning usage and future services and to assess the effectiveness of the policy and programme that are implemented.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Forum, Dr Ramli Hassan, a Psychiatrist and Head of Psychiatry Services, hopes community stigma or negative perception towards mental patients could be reduced.
Taken From:
Borneo Bulletin
http://www.borneobulletin.com.bn/sunday/news/nov27h4.htm
