Military health service aims to improve mental health needs

THE Papua New Guinea military health service aims to develop a policy to improve mental health needs for its officers, PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) health service director Lt-Col Peter Kaminiel says.
Kaminiel told board members and the mental health workers during the launching of a new body for social change and mental health services in Port Moresby that the new pathway was to prevent substance abuse and help prepare soldiers and their families before and after operations.
“This is because of the kind of work and the environment we visit, and the longer deployment and separations from families that
put extra pressures on the families and presence of substance abuse like marijuana and alcohol within the defence communities,” he said.
Kaminiel said this would help develop mental resilience in servicemen and women.
“Because we are more vulnerable in our communities because of the way we do things, we focus on mental health prevention and how we can treat our patient,” he said
Kaminiel said it was important for the PNGDF to actively involve the new directorate for Social Change and Mental Health Services because of the vulnerability of the profession.
He said they could now manage their patients and not to rush to the emergency ward every time.
He thanked the new board members and the health workers to be part of the organisation to provide the services to military officers.