Mental Health system to be strengthened

– 59 reported suicide cases in first half of 2017

In an effort to strengthen the public health system, the Public Health Ministry expended $10.8 billion of the $31.2 billion budgeted in the first half of 2017. More than 95 per cent of the amount was recurrent expenses, while the capital expenditure at mid-year expended 12 per cent of the $3.1 billion budgeted.
The Public Health Ministry through the Mental Health Unit highlighted that mental health issues continue to affect the society and at mid-year, there were 59 reported cases of suicide.
According to the Finance Ministry’s mid-year report, the training of health professionals on mental health is ongoing, and 106 of the 300 targeted individuals have completed training this year.
It was highlighted that the mental health institute is working to ensure at least 50 percent of non-specialised health care providers in Guyana, are trained to address mental health issues. The unit has recognised that it would be more effective to identify and treat with mental illnesses at the primary health care level. It was noted that farming communities need to be targeted due to easy access to pesticides and the high suicide rates from persons living in those communities.
According to the report, the mental health institute currently under renovation is expected to be completed in the second half of the year. Also, an additional sum of $312.2 million of the budgeted $2 billion was expended for the improvement and maintenance of health infrastructure across the country.
As part of its efforts to help low and middle-income countries like Guyana combat the scourge of suicide, the World Health Organisation developed the Mental Health Gap Action Programme [mhGAP]. mhGAP is aimed at scaling up services for people with mental, neurological and substance use disorders. The training of these professionals using the mhGAP-IG standard stems from initiatives outlined in the National Mental Health Action plan 2015-2020 which addresses mental health at the community level. The Ministries of Agriculture, Education and Social Protection are all expected to play important roles in spreading awareness to targeted groups countrywide.
Guyana was announced as having the fourth highest suicide rate in the world with an estimated 29.0 per 100,000 by the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO).
Dr William Adu-Krow, the local representative of PAHO/WHO said while in 2012 Guyana had that disturbing suicide rate, the rate has since plummeted to 20.6 per 100,000 people.