By Chantalé Fletcher
DIRECTOR of Mental Health Dr Hazel Othello says mental health is everyone’s business.
She said, “So, wear something green on Sunday in recognition of World Mental Health Day.”
Speaking at the Ministry of Health virtual presser on Wednesday, Dr Othello’s message derived from this year’s theme, “Mental Health in an unequal world, together we can make a difference.”
She said, “The theme reflected an awareness of the global impact of the pandemic on mental health and pre-existing inequities on accessing mental health care, yet it directs our attention to collective roles in addressing this challenge.”
Dr Othello said, “In T&T, the public healthcare system provides universal access to care at no cost to service users. Specialist mental health services have been available for many years with selected primary care centre across the Regional Health authorities (RHA’s).
“Also, now with behavioral health and wellness centres that now provide a wide range of health services during regular working hours in Barataria, Carenage, and Diego Martin, and a module of care now expanding across all RHA’s.”
She added that in recent years, frontline staff of hospitals, emergency rooms received additional mental health training aimed to ensure mental health care begins at every patient’s first point of contact with the system.
“To enhance the experience of those who required mental health care,” she said.
Dr Othello said, “The website, FindCarett.com has facilitated easy access to these services to those who have little or no access to digital recourses, with a print version of the directory of services that was now created and with copies soon available for circulation.”
She said the entire week of October 10 was now observed in T&T as National Behavioral Health and Wellness week.
This was usually commemorated numerous activities with a heavy focus on mental health promotion.
However, she said, “Promoting mental health remained a priority and such virtual mental health education, promotion and activities continue to fill the gap as request for such services have been increasing.”
Dr Othello said a 2020 World Health Organization (WHO) survey based on 130 countries, showed the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted critical mental health illness in 93% of countries worldwide, despite an increase in some services.
Dr Othello said, “WHO reported pre-Covid estimates of almost one trillion US dollars lost annually due to depression and anxiety.
“However, studies showed that every dollar spent on evidence based care for depression and anxiety resulted in a $5 return, a call for global investment in mental health investment services that are accessible to all was therefore economically justified.”
