MoH will continue to improve quality of mental health services – Dr Anthony

In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month 2024, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has issued timely reassurance to the Guyanese populace of the Ministry of Health’s (MoH’s) continued commitment to improving the quality of mental health services being provided.
“The Health Ministry remains committed to prioritizing mental health in the workplace by creating mental health laws, implementing policies, and developing programmes designed to enhance the mental health and wellbeing of staff in both the public and private sectors,” Minister Anthony has said.
He not only expressed the Government’s commitment in this regard, but provided statistical facts to indicate that the Health Ministry has been consistent in ensuring that persons receive mental health training.
“Approximately 250 individuals from Government agencies and businesses have benefitted from mental health education, counselling, and workshops on stress management, anger management, time management, emotional intelligence, and coping skills,” Dr Anthony revealed.

He highlighted that the destruction caused by mental health issues shows there is need for improvement in the services being provided.
“Mental health challenges affect our lives and communities, impacting everyone, regardless of background. This annual observance highlights the pressing need for improved and accessible mental health services across private and public health systems worldwide,” he declared.
Underlining initiatives already undertaken by the MoH, he declared, “In 2022, the Ministry of Health took the lead by passing the Mental Health Protection and Promotion Act and the Suicide Prevention Act. These Acts emphasize collaboration between all levels of Government, society, and the business sector to promote mental health care and awareness in the workplace through education, training, and outreach.”
With Mental Health Awareness Month being here again, various strides are being taken to illuminate mental health across the board.
Regional Democratic Council Chairman for Region 4, Daniel Seeram, has called for the teaching of suicide awareness in schools in order to educate children about the topic. During the World Mental Health Day Symposium, on Thursday at Herdmanston Lodge at Peter Rose and Lamaha Streets in Queenstown, Georgetown, Seeram declared,
“We don’t want to have children coming out into our society with mental issues. In the education sector, we should advocate for special periods within the school system for this specific awareness. We can add it to the curricula in schools because, I mean, these forums many of us can make representations for, but we need research-driven data to support it.”
Underlining a growing problem in Guyana, in which adults and children are negatively categorized in relation to how they deal with mental health, he said,
“Sometimes we generalise the problem by saying children and adults share the same mindset. However, we have that significant opportunity to model children and make this a focus – shifting how their mindset is when they reach adulthood.”
It has also been mentioned that various children are romanticizing suicide and spreading it on social media, influencing others. As such, there are discussions about whether to avoid using the term “suicide” when teaching about awareness, and instead refer to “mental illness”.
John Fraser, another key representative who was at the forum, added, “We have to be careful about how we carry discussions around suicide, and think of how we can use other methods; because, for one, it is triggering and may cause some to attempt it. We have to be careful with suicide and how we discuss it.”
Every year, on October 10th, World Mental Health Day is observed to raise awareness and advocate against the social stigma surrounding mental health and related illnesses. This year, Guyana proudly joins the global community in recognizing this important day under the theme ’Mental Health at Work.’ The theme underscores the critical need to address mental health and wellbeing within the workplace.