THE Quezon City council has passed a resolution supporting the passage of House Bill No. 584, which seeks to incorporate and institutionalize comprehensive mental health services into the country’s health system.
District 1 Councilor Lena Marie Juico authored City Council Resolution 6947 “to underscore the need for government to adopt a national mental health policy, and to provide a fair and effective delivery of mental health care to Filipinos, especially the poor and those who are at risk of affectation.”
A copy of the resolution has already been furnished to the Department of Health, city health office and other concerned agencies for reference and information.
Apart from the House bill’s passage, the Quezon City health office is beefing up the capability of the city’s community health workers to enable them to provide mental health care, especially to individuals with drug problems.
Doctors and barangay health workers have undergone training on mental health care in different psychiatric facilities, in line with the city government’s effort to promote a mental health care delivery system in the community.
The city health department is also planning a referral system with other health and social welfare institutions for programs on the prevention and management of mental illness and other psychiatric disorders.
A survey conducted by the DoH among 327 government employees revealed that 32 percent were found to have experienced mental health problems.
Individuals with chronic mental illness, overseas Filipino workers, and those in areas of armed conflict have higher risk of getting mental health problems, the department added.
The shortage of qualified mental professionals also contributes to the country’s mental health woes. There are just 490 psychiatrists and 1,000 nurses who specialized in psychiatric care, and even fewer general practitioners trained for early assessment and management of common mental health problems.