On August 3 in Hanoi, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management ( Ministry of Health ) organized a workshop on Building a project to strengthen the capacity of the mental health care system for the period 2023-3030, with the participation of delegates from functional units under the Ministry of Health, representatives of international organizations such as the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Health Organization, leaders of psychiatric hospitals and professional associations...
Delegates discussed the project's contents, from strengthening leadership, management, inter-sectoral coordination between ministries, sectors and local authorities and mobilizing society in mental health care; improving mental health and preventing mental disorders; strengthening the mental health care system to provide comprehensive, integrated, continuous and community-based medical and social services...
Along with that is the solution to ensure accessibility, affordability and universal health coverage in mental health care for everyone, throughout life, with a focus on children, adolescents, women, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups; ensure human rights, eliminate stigma and discrimination against people with mental disorders, increase the participation of people with mental disorders and their families in the process of developing, implementing and evaluating policies, laws and plans on mental health.
According to Dr. Cao Hung Thai, Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Vietnam is currently facing a dual disease model, with complex infectious diseases, in which non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, COPD, mental illness, etc. are on the rise. Vietnam is also suffering from the huge impacts of population aging, high rates of people with disabilities, and the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.
 |
Dr. Cao Hung Thai, Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, spoke at the workshop. |
Notably, compared to other specialties, mental health is a public health field that receives little attention. The 2022 survey results of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management show that 61.3% (398 out of 649) of district hospitals and district health centers organize outpatient examination and treatment for people with mental illness, but only 9.1% (59 facilities) organize inpatient examination and treatment for people with mental illness. This result shows a large gap in the treatment of mental disorders at the district level.
It is estimated that there are more than 14 million people with mental disorders in the country, but there are only 143 clinical psychologists and psychotherapists. Clinical psychological services are not yet officially covered by health insurance, so the 143 clinical psychologists and psychotherapists are mainly considered technicians and do psychological tests, not real clinical psychological services.
Psychiatric rehabilitation services are also very limited. There are no formal mental health services for people affected by natural disasters such as floods, droughts and epidemics (such as the Covid-19 pandemic).
Like many countries in the world , Vietnam is facing an increasing trend of mental disorders. According to a report from the Central Psychiatric Hospital, the incidence of 10 common mental disorders in 2014 was 14.2%, of which depression alone accounted for 2.45%.
According to Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital, up to 8 to 20% of children and adolescents experience common mental health problems.
Research on other special groups of subjects also shows that the rate of depression during pregnancy is 5% and postpartum depression is 8.2%, the rate of new postpartum depression is 6.5%, the rate of depression in lung cancer patients is 24.6%.
Several studies around the world have also shown that billions of people around the world have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which is having a deeper impact on people's mental health, exacerbating short-term and long-term stress and destroying the mental health of millions. Estimates show an increase in both anxiety disorders and depression by more than 25% in the first year of the pandemic.
Misperception and social stigma towards people with mental disorders, most people consider mental disorders to be just schizophrenia without knowing that there are many different types such as depression, anxiety, alcohol-induced mental disorders...
Meanwhile, most people do not receive mental health care services. Mental health services are mainly available at specialized facilities at the central and provincial levels. District and commune levels mainly manage and treat schizophrenia and epilepsy.
Meanwhile, according to a survey by Central Psychiatric Hospital 1, the above two diseases only account for about 0.5% of the population and the total mental disorders are 14.2% of the population.
Most people with mental disorders do not receive formal services, while mental disorders are increasing in number and diversifying in many aspects such as anxiety, substance addiction, dementia, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, etc.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/linh-vuc-suc-khoe-tam-than-van-it-duoc-quan-tam-post765627.html
Comment (0)