Plans afoot to address psychiatric health system
The National, Tuesday 28th May 2013
PLANS are underway to address the country’s psychiatric health system after an increase in mentally-ill patients in the country.
Health and HIV/AIDS Minister Michael Malabag told Parliament last week that he had already given directions that the Laloki psychiatric hospital be turned into a public hospital.
“Laloki deals with chronic and forensic patients and the situation there has been allowed to deteriorate for quite some time as clearly highlighted in the recent Public Accounts Committee hearings.
“One problem is that Laloki is not declared a public hospital so that is why money is not going there directly.”
Malabag said it would be turned into a public hospital under the Hospital Act and get appropriate funding.
He said the health ministry was in the process of establishing a new directorate to see the right management of all hospitals.
Malabag said he would also liaise with mental health specialist Uma Ambi to ensure all mental health requirements were adequately addressed in the country.
He made these in his response to questions raised in parliament last week by Nawaeb MP Gisuwat Siniwim on plans for the Laloki Psychiatric Hospital and the increase of mentally-ill persons.