Mental health vital to other issues: Kanawi

MENTAL health is the fundamental to all other health issues, former Manus administrator and public service icon Web Kanawi says.
Speaking at the world mental health day in Lorengau, Kanawi said mental health is important but the government is not doing enough to support the mental health service providers.
Kanawi said it is an area of concern that does not have update statistics available for mental health service provider.
“Right now our country does not have proper statistics of how many people are affected and living with mental disability and what kind of services are they being given,” he said.
He said it is a challenge which policy makers should look into the provision of basic health services.
Kanawi said mental health problems is becoming common in work places, Manus needs more mental health and facility to cater for them.
“If we address mental health seriously as first priority in health service delivery, we are already preventing many other diseases for people to get,” he said.
“Therefore, I am appealing to the Manus government and provincial health authority to have special wards for the mental health clinic at Lorengau General Hospital.”
He also appealed to ward councilors and local level government managers to be trained to identify mental health in their communities and seek the help they need to recover.
Kanawi has called all schools and other institutions in the province to have guidance officers or mental health officers who can assist students with mental health.