Nationwide mental health services in a year, says president
The government hopes to expand mental health services across the country during the campaign period.
By
Mariyam Umna Ismail
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said on Monday that efforts are underway to expand mental health services across the country within a period of one year.
The campaign, called 'Kihineh', is a year-long campaign supported by UNICEF. Inaugurated by President Solih on Monday at a ceremony held at Dharubaaruge, the purpose of the campaign is as follows:
-
Improving the mental health of individuals and communities
-
Changing attitudes toward people with mental illness and trying to eliminate discrimination
-
Develop the ability to cope with difficult emotions and overcome them
-
Know what needs to be done to take care of yourself and develop the ability to do it
-
Creating a responsible society that accepts, cares for each other, despite ideological differences
Inaugurating the campaign, he highlighted the importance of seeking mental health care and the government's efforts to make the service easily accessible to the people.
"Our plan is to expand the service across the country. Of these, the formulation and implementation of a mental health policy is a priority for the government. For the first time, a mental health centre has been set up in the country, by this government," he said.
Noting that there are a large number of people suffering from mental illness in the country, the president said the focus was on providing treatment to all of them. According to him:
-
One of the biggest challenges in accessing treatment is that mental health has been left unattended for a long time
-
The issue of lack of public awareness on the subject
Pointing out that the campaign launched on Monday aims to create awareness among the general public about the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses and similar issues, he said the government hopes to expand mental health services across the country during the campaign period.
Here's what the president said as efforts to expand mental health services across the country:
-
Provide psychological care facilities in five hospitals being developed at the tertiary level
-
Preparing to introduce mental health care in atoll hospitals and start therapy and counselling services
-
At the island level, efforts would also be made to provide psychological care under primary health care
