Access to mental health services important, says Wong

The National National

MINISTER for Health and HIV/AIDS Jelta Wong says it is important for people in the communities to have access to mental health services.
He said this when announcing the first model community mental health centre at St Therese Clinic at Hohola in Port Moresby and launching the Directorate of Social Change and Mental Health’s (DSCMH) five-year corporate plan (2021-2026) yesterday.
The community mental health centre has been in operation since June last year and helps close to 100 people with mental health problems a month.
This model centre is a new initiative to improve mental health services in the National Capital District and provides specialist mental health services including:

  • CHILD guideline clinic;
  • PRIMARY mental health care;
  • DISASTER and trauma management;
  • ALCOHOL and trauma management;
  • ALCOHOL and drug mitigation services;
  • ADDICTION; and,
  •  REHABILITATION and occupational therapy.

Wong said the model would be replicated in East New Britain and throughout the country.
“This is the first community mental health centre for the country.
“I thank the nurses that are running this facility. It is important to have this because the discrimination (against people with mental health issues) is high and perception of the people towards mental illness is different.
“We have a high population growth rate and there will be a lot of people suffering from mental health conditions.
Wong said with the corporate plan, it would ensure that the directorate would see that PNG became a nation of mentally healthy individuals, families and communities.
He said the Government was committed to ensuring that all areas of health was covered.