In observance of World Mental Health Day today, the Ministry of Health has pointed to developments in the sector including updated legislation and mobile psychiatry units.
In a statement, the ministry said that the “Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Health has made great advances to improve and make mental health services more accessible to the people of Guyana in the last two years”.
It said that in July 2022, the Suicide Prevention Bill 2022 was tabled in the National Assembly. This addresses preventive measures to combat suicide and mental health awareness. This bill also provides for the repeal of the section of the law that criminalises attempted suicide.
In August 2022, the Mental Health Protection and Promotion Act was tabled and passed in the National Assembly, replacing the archaic Mental Hospital Ordinance of 1930.
“This modern legislation aligns with all the major international instruments relating to the rights of people with mental illnesses. This new bill will see the establishment of a Mental Health Board, whose members among others will include a human rights specialist, a user of mental health services and a family member or caregiver of a person with a mental health disorder. The Board will work to ensure the protection of the rights of people with mental health disorders”, the ministry said.
Despite their independence from the ministry, the statement said that the Salvation Army and Phoenix Recovery Centre continue to receive funding through government subventions to support their inpatient drug rehabilitation projects.
There have also been international partnership. Among those is a collaboration with the Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry geared at examining the risk factors for mental health in Guyana.
“We have also commenced another collaboration with a Canadian charitable organisation, International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF) to address mental health in vulnerable communities”, the statement added.
There has also been an expansion of psychiatry satellite clinics for adults across all Regions except for Regions Six and Eight while children and adolescent clinics have been set up across Regions Three, Four, Five and Six.
The Health Ministry has also established Mobile Psychiatry Clinics which cater for persons with mental illness, who are unable to go to the hospital to receive medical treatment, and to facilitate admission if necessary. Currently, this encompasses Regions Three, Four and Five. Additionally, Alcohol and Substance Misuse clinics have been established and cater for adults, children and adolescents.
