The National Psychiatric Hospital held a rally in New Amsterdam on Monday to observe Mental Health Week.
Participants march in observance of Mental Health Week being held in New Amsterdam
Issues related to mental health affect every four out of five persons in Guyana and is everybody’s business. This is according to Director of regional health services in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Jevaughn Stephens.
This year’s mental health week is being observed under the theme, ‘Psychological and mental health first aid for all’.
Following the rally, Medical Superintendent of the National Psychiatric Hospital situated at Fort Canje, Dr Vineshri Khirodhar pointed out that many today take mental health lightly.
“And I am sure over the months and years many of us have seen the repercussions of taking mental health lightly. In Guyana, we have an average of 222 persons who have fallen to suicide.” These deaths, she said, are all unnecessary.
She noted that mental health is under threat and has become psychological warfare.
“Fort Canje Hospital is not the only representation of mental health. Fort Canje Hospital is one of the primary facilities for treatment for persons who have fallen with numerous psychiatric diseases and over the years, the numbers have been decreasing. We have a lot of resident patients in our facility and reason being, many of them are stable and they can go but not all of them have family support or any sort of support,” Dr Khirodhar explained
Currently, there are 185 resident patients at the facility.
She said too that mental health is an important issue during every stage of life and with the current support mental health is receiving from the Public Health Ministry and the regional health services, mental health will take a change for the better.
Public Health Minister Dr George Norton was slated to speak at the rally but did not show. No excuse was made for his absence.
Meanwhile, several activities have been organised to observe Mental Health Week. These include visits to schools and a trip to the Number 63 Beach for resident patients at the Fort Canje Hospital.
