By JACK MWEWA –
THE Ministry of Health hopes that mental health delivery will be enhanced once recommendations to amend Mental Disorders Act of 1951 Cap. 535 are repealed by Parliament and replaced with the new Mental Health Act.
Among the recommendations to improved mental health delivery highlighted in the 2010 Strategic Plan, include rehabilitation of centres, develop standards and guidelines for mental health management, promote public awareness and education on mental health and prevention of mental illnesses.
The plan also highlights mental health patients integration into their families, and facilitate inter-sectoral co-ordination to bring together workers from other sectors.
Once implemented, challenges in mental health like lack of appropriate policy and legal framework, lack of appropriate guidelines and standards for the management of mental illnesses, poor public awareness and attitude towards mental illnesses would be addressed.
The earlier strategic plan indicated some causes of mental disorders and mental ill-health as stress, alcohol and substance abuse.
However, it is estimated that more than 12.5 per cent of the global burden of disease is caused by mental disorders,” reads the strategic plan in part.
