More mental health centres to be set up

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PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry plans to open more community mental health centres to deal with the rising trend of mental illness in the country.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said, however, the ministry would study the effectiveness and acceptance of the first centre at Precinct 11 here before expanding the services.

He said the launch of the centre yesterday was a milestone in the development of mental health services in the country as the number of mental illness cases had increased from 10 per cent to 11.2 per cent in recent years.

Liow hoped the centre would provide a friendly and non-hospital setting to help reduce the stigma patients had to endure and make the treatment more acceptable.

“In the past, mental health services were only available in hospitals and only serious
mental health patients sought treatment,” he told reporters after opening the Putrajaya Health Clinic and Community Mental Health Centre at Precinct 11 here.

Liow said with the opening of the community mental health centre, it would be easier to extend community mental health services such as psychological therapy, counselling and health education information as well as enhancing patients capacity and potential in the community.

In addition, he said the centre would provide rehabilitation and recovery services to stable schizophrenia patients to enable them to lead a more productive life in the community.

He said the centre, which was based on the balanced care model practiced Australia and Canada, would provide mental health services in the community and could play a major role in psychiatric treatment supported by hospitals.

Liow said children, adolescents, patients requiring psychological interventions such as depression, anxiety, phobias and adaptation with chronic diseases, and those who need counselling like marriage and parenting advice could benefit from the centre. — Bernama