Fatimah (third right) speaking at a press conference.
KUCHING: A brainstorming session will be held to strategise the best mental health development programme among Sarawakians.
Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said the session would involve all relevant parties from both government departments and agencies as well as the non-government organisations (NGOs).
She said they were in the process of identifying relevant people to participate in the session.
“We try to do it (brainstorming session) as soon as possible — maybe next week. The whole idea is to collect feedback, ideas and suggestions that can be considered and drafted into our support system,” she told a press conference at her office here yesterday.
Fatimah said based on professional ideas and recommendations gathered during such session, her ministry hoped to come up with life-changing programmes and strategies to boost mood, build resilience and increase happiness among the people who are free from or down with any mental health problem.
She expressed her gratitude to Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg for his decision of increasing the allocation to her ministry to create awareness of mental health problems among the people.
She said with the five per cent increase in allocation to her ministry, they could focus on carrying out more awareness programmes on mental health problems in the state.
“We will be proactive. We will draw our programmes and strategies to promote better mental health.
“As we cannot do it alone, we will try to engage other relevant parties as well as the NGOs to help us reach out to the people,” she said.
Fatimah assured all that any programme and strategy to be carried out would aim to make people emotionally and mentally resilient and have the tools for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook.