17-Aug-2013Madhavi Rajadhyaksha MUMBAI: Humanitarian emergencies can serve as lessons for countries to strengthen their mental health systems, states a new report by the World Health Organization. The report, Building back better: Sustainable mental health care after emergencies outlines how countries have used adversities as a means to strengthen their institutional systems. "The surge of aid, combined with sudden, focused attention on the mental health of the population, creates unparalleled opportunities to transform mental health care for the long term," states the report. "The current situation is alarming," stated WHO's director for Mental Health, Shekhar Saxe na in a press note. "Health systems have not yet adequately responded to the burden of mental disorders. We know that the vast majority of people with severe mental disorders receive no treatment whatsoever in low-income and middle-income countries," he added. The report outlines how countries have leveraged disasters. In Indonesia which was hit by a tsunami for instance, the government transitionee from a hospital-based mental health system to one where primary mental health services were made available in most districts. The tsunami also initiated change in the Sri Lankan mental health policy wherein community-based mental health workers were roped into the healthcare system. Iraq has trained its general practitioners to handle mental trauma among patients. "In spite of their tragic nature, emergency situations are opportunities to improve the lives of large numbers of people through improving mental health services," stated assistant di rector-general Bruce Aylward, WHO in a press release. The report holds valuable lessons for India which has been plagued with an acute shortage of psychiatrists. A Mental Health Survey last conducted by the Directorate General of Health Services in 2002 had pegged the number of psychiatrists across the country at a mere 2,219 for its population of 1.2 billion persons. India needn't wait for an emergency to address this shortfall. It could draw invaluable lessons on community-based mental health care from the best practices of other countries. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-17/mumbai/41420393_1_health-services-health-care-health-system -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia?hl=en ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
