Georgetown: Mental health counselling was the focus of an interactive session with stakeholders and participants today, at an outreach held at the National Library, Georgetown.
The occasion was in observance of World Mental Health Day, held under the theme “Dignity in Mental Health.” It was hosted by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Pan American Health/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO).
During the opening session of the activity, PAHO/WHO representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, told the gathering that, “the idea is that we should consider mental health as a health issue and not delegate it to the realm of something that is bad or something which should be looked down upon.”
Dr. Adu-Krow pointed out that in every society, about 90% of the population have issues with which they are dealing. He noted that at the health unit of the United Nations, they are working toward building capacity for mental health workers.
“PAHO/WHO, our issue is that we should keep people less in institutions and keep them in the community, so that we can all assist in what they do,” said Dr. Adu-Krow, as it much easier for family members to be supportive that way.
He noted that PAHO/WHO stand ready to partner with other organisations, so that in the coming years they can bring mental health issues to a minimum, as they cannot tackle these issues alone. Schools are also being targeted, as some teachers have already been trained to deal with students with mental health concerns.
World Mental Health Day is observed to raise awareness about mental health, educating the public on how to deal with people who suffer from mental health conditions, so that they can continue to live with dignity, through human rights oriented policies and laws, in an effort to eliminate the stigma attached.
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