Call for funding support

National

THE Government should honour its commitment to give 5 per cent of the total health budget to the Social Change and Mental Health directorate, Dame Carol Kidu says.
Dame Carol, a strong advocate of mental health, was speaking during the World Mental Health Day celebration in Port Moresby last Friday.
The theme was “working together to prevent suicide”.
She said it was an opportunity to direct attention to mental issues affecting the nation.
Dame Carol said although mental health was important, it was a neglected area.
She said more advocacy and awareness were needed but it would need funding to implement.
“We talk about the law and order issues of this nation,” she said.
“If we could address the mental health issues of this nation, there would be a big change in the law and order issues.”
Dame Carol called on the Government, development partners, community and the churches to jointly address mental health issues.
She said the directorate and the Health Department could not do it alone.
Acting deputy commissioner Police operations Donald Yamasombi said they supported the directorate’s work “because law and order issues come from the mind.”