KUCHING: Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah yesterday suggested that organisers of mental health seminars or conferences invite community leaders as participants.
The Minister of Welfare, Community Well Being, Women, Family and Childhood Development was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 5th Sarawak Mental Health Conference 2018 held at Imperial Hotel here yesterday.
“Mental health represents a complex health problem and is not just the concern of the sufferers and their caregivers but also the concern of the community.
“This is why we need all levels of society to tackle this problem and help each another.
“Thus, it is important that community leaders are also invited to conferences like these so they can further help their people,” she said.
Fatimah, who is also Dalat State Assemblywoman, added: “In Sarawak, there are 17 psychiatrists in major public hospitals but there are only two clinical psychologists to serve our population of 2.6 million.
“That is why it has been suggested that medical officers be trained to help empower healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify mental disorders and provide further assistance.”
The Minister said mental health problems could happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, and family background and that 1 in 3 Malaysians would have such problems.
“If you can spot the symptoms earlier, those affected should receive immediate treatment and be tended to by professionals,” she said.
Fatimah also spoke on the stigma related to mental health problems, attributing it to a lack of knowledge and awareness among the society.
“Everyone has a role to play in getting rid of this stigma – the community, the government, the workplace, etc.
“We have to create confidence among the public that mental health problems can be cured if detected earlier and that persons suffering from them can still lead normal lives,” she said.
Meanwhile, organising chairperson, Dr Rosliwati Md Yusoff said that the conference would cover various mental health issues in the community.
“It is indeed a pleasure to announce that the Mental Health Foundation will expand its collaboration to different states in Malaysia, with Sarawak as the second chapter,” she said, adding that Johor was the first.
The three-day conference, which ends today, is organised by Hospital Sentosa Kuching and attended by about 400 participants.
Also present is the Mental Health Foundation CEO and senior consultant, Dato’ Dr Haji Abdul Aziz Abdullah.
