Mental health services more accessible – Guyana Chronicle
–in last two years, says Health Minister
THE Health Ministry has made great advances to improve and make mental health services more accessible to the people of Guyana in the last two years, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony said on Sunday in a message to mark World Mental Health Day 2022.
Today is World Mental Health Day, and the occasion is being observed under the theme, “Making Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority”.
“Significant progress has been made thus far with mental health legislation. In July 2022, the Suicide Prevention Bill 2022 was tabled in the National Assembly for the first time. This addresses preventive measures to combat suicide and mental health awareness. This Bill also provides for the repeal of the section of the law that criminalises persons who attempt suicide,” the minister said.
He also noted that in August 2022, the Mental Health Protection and Promotion Act were tabled and passed in the National Assembly, thereby replacing the archaic Mental Hospital Ordinance of 1930.
This modern legislation aligns with all the major international instruments relating to the rights of people with mental illnesses. This new Bill, the minister said, will see the establishment of a Mental Health Board, whose members, among others, will include a human rights specialist, a user of mental health services, and a family member or caregiver of a person with a mental health disorder.
The Board will work to ensure the protection of the rights of people with mental health disorders.
The minister noted, too, that despite their independence from the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Salvation Army and Phoenix Recovery Centre continue to receive funding through government subventions to support their in-patient drug rehabilitation projects.
EXPAND RESEARCH
“The MoH continues to expand research in mental health, through its current partnership with several international organisations. Among those is a collaboration with Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry, geared at examining the risk factors for mental health in Guyana. We have also commenced another collaboration with a Canadian charitable organisation, International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF), to address mental health in vulnerable communities. Plans are also ongoing for a partnership with the North Well University and Mount Sinai in several areas, including the expansion of the Ministry’s Resident Psychiatry Programme, increasing training in the subspecialties of child and forensic psychiatry, and also student exchange programmes for fellowships and observerships,” the minister said in his message.
He added that apart from these successful partnerships, the ongoing decentralisation of mental health services has seen the establishment of clinics at several regional hospitals and health centres in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Five (Mahaica-Berbice).
There has also been an expansion of psychiatry satellite clinics for adults across all regions, except for Regions Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), while children and adolescent clinics have been established across Regions Three, Four, Five and Six.
The Health Ministry, the minister pointed out, has also established several Mobile Psychiatry Clinics which cater for persons with mental illness who are unable to go to the hospital to receive medical treatment, and to facilitate admission if necessary.
Currently, this encompasses Regions Three, Four and Five, also facilitating the re-integration of discharged patients to their homes.
“Additionally, Alcohol and Substance Misuse clinics have been established, and cater for adults, children and adolescents. The MoH will continue to work towards improving the quality of mental health services throughout Guyana. What has been accomplished so far are indicators of the progress that will continue over the coming years,” the minister said.
