Mental Health Awareness Campaign to be held from Oct 3 – 6
KUCHING: The Mental Health Association of Sarawak ( MHAS) in collaboration with Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), Sentosa Hospital and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak ( Unimas) will organise Mental Health Awareness Campaign 2017 from Oct 3 to 6.
The campaign themed ‘Towards graceful ageing’ is to spread mental health awareness among the public.
The organisers have chosen Padawan Municipal Council ( MPP) on Oct 3 and 4, and Giant Hypermarket at Kota Padawan (Oct 5 and 6) as the venues to spread awareness among the community in Padawan area especially.
There will be a public forum conducted in Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia at MPP while exhibitions at Giant Hypermarket.
Apressconferenceheldyesterday to announce the event was attended by MPP chairman who is also Batu Kitang assemblyman, Lo Khere Chiang; MHAS deputy president Dr Gan Chee Kuan, organising secretary Marly Matleen Agoh and medical officers from SGH.
Lo who will officiate at the event on Oct 3 said it was the first such programme to be held in MPP area, and thanked the organisers for the initiative. “We ( MPP) are glad to be part of the programme to spread mental health awareness among the public, and we will give our full support,” said Lo who is panel chairman of Sentosa Hospital.
He encouraged the public especially the elderly and guardians to participate in a meaningful and informative event that included mental health screening and a quiz.
A statement distributed to the press mentioned that the national aging population has been projected to almost double in 15 years from 8 per cent in 2015 to 15 per cent in 2020.
It pointed out that the elderly, in general, face various challenges associated with physical, psychological and social changes associated with the aging process.