Stigma Towards the mentally ill a public threat to treatment - Tufton
Published:Tuesday | April 3, 2018 | 12:00 AM
Describing the high levels of stigma and abandonment towards the mentally ill as a major threat to treating the sickness, Heath Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says a robust effort is needed to educate the populace on the illness.
Tufton was speaking at the handover of two buses to the North East Regional Health Authority (NEHRA) and the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) to assist with community mental health services. The two buses are valued at $15 million.
He pointed to recent statistics and urged persons to become more sensitive to vulnerable populations.
"Essentially, statistics that I received close to a year after I became minister showed that between 30-40 per cent of our population are struggling with mental illness. This means four out of every 10, 40 out of every 100, 400 out of every 1,000, at some point of their lives experienced some level of mental instability," Tufton said.
"I don't think we can use those statistics for any other illness, many of which receive greater attention than mental illness."
He added: "We have to come to that realisation and accept that we have a big problem. What amplifies that problem is the stigma attached to mental illness which, in my mind, is the greatest threat to solving this issue of mental illness."
NOWHERE TO GO AFTER CARE
Tufton also reiterated that the Bellevue Hospital, Jamaica's main mental institution, has become an infirmary because of the influx of patients who simply have nowhere to go after being treated.
In the meantime, Fabia Lamm, regional director at the NEHRA, told The Gleaner that the buses were well-needed.
"I have three parishes - St Mary, St Ann and Portland - so at a minimum we should have at least one bus per parish. Right now none of my three parishes have a functional bus. The one from St Ann is in the garage and, based on the nature of the work that we do, versus the value of the bus itself, it doesn't make sense we repair," Lamm said.
"St Mary has been without a bus for sometime as well, and what has been happening is, when the bus in Portland or St Ann is available, we assist St Mary."