Prioritise mental health care, Government urged
THERE is need to prioritise mental health care at provincial and national levels with civic and Government institutions complementing the rehabilitation and treatment efforts of mental health patients, several Government ministries have said.
The call was made by representatives of the Ministries of Health and Child Care, Labour and Social Welfare and Women and Youth Affairs that attended the first quarter provincial developmental review meeting held in Mutare recently.
Manicaland provincial social welfare officer Mrs Charity Ndadzungira said mental health cases were on the rise while rehabilitation mechanisms were inadequate.
“The number of mentally unstable people roaming our streets is on the rise and the failure by relevant authorities to handle them has led to sporadic outbreaks of violence towards civilians,” she said.
She bemoaned the absence of a fully-fledged psychiatric unit in the province, which could be an effective mechanism to treat and rehabilitate mental patients.
“In the province, we do not have a fully-fledged psychiatric unit like other provinces like Bulawayo, Masvingo and Harare.”
Ndadzungira said the psychiatric centre at Sakubva District Hospital was no longer fully functional.
She also highlighted the need for institutionalisation of mental health patients, as a way of monitoring and containing them, citing incidents where they had attacked civilians especially women.
The provincial medical director Dr Patron Mafaune spoke on how her ministry was engaging Government to avail resources to construct a psychiatric unit in the province.
“As a ministry we are engaging the Government to incorporate a psychiatric segment at Mutare Provincial Hospital.”
She highlighted that though referral centres like Mutare Provincial Hospital provided ongoing treatment for the mentally challenged the centres still remained incapacitated to extensively and effectively rehabilitate the mentally disabled.
“Mutare Provincial Hospital only offers treatment to try and contain people with mental health problems, but after receiving treatment, patients are sent back into society where they continue to roam our streets and in some cases disturb our peace.”
She added that institutionalisation of mental patients could be an effective way of assessing mental health patients and ensuring that they access all the services they need.
“Institutionalisation can be an effective tool for curbing behavioural problems that are associated with mental health patients, but making sure that they live in an environment where they cannot harm themselves or others,” said Dr Mafaune.
On a national scale, Dr Mafaune said the existing psychiatric units were overwhelmed hence the need to create space for them to enhance their peaceful co-existence with the rest of society.
Dr Mafaune said the province was referring mental patients to other provinces, which have existing and functional psychiatric units for treatment and further assessment.
Mutare Central police superintendent, Abiuti Kachirika advised members of the public to report cases of harassment by mental health patients to the police.
“We will carry out campaigns through the community relations liaison officer to conscientise people to be alert of mentally challenged persons roaming the streets.”