2023-10-17 06:00:00
Mental health remains a neglected subject despite increasing psychological distress among the population. For this mental health awareness month, the psy-Kozy association held a press conference yesterday to raise awareness of the rights of people suffering from mental illness.
This association aims to create a psychosocial rehabilitation center in Madagascar, a crucial place to help those struggling with psychosocial disorders.
Despite the immense needs, only a handful of establishments can care for these patients affected by these conditions that no one generally wants to hear about. In the capital, 6 psychiatric services can receive patients, 4 of whom are hospitalized. Throughout the country, there are 15 psychiatric departments, particularly in public hospitals.
There are only 22 psychiatrists for 28 million inhabitants in the country while WHO standards are of the order of 1 psychiatrist for 5,000 patients. There are also very few practicing psychologists, a young faculty of psychology and a few more general practitioners trained in the management of mental illness (DU mental health).
During World Mental Health Day celebrated on October 10, a MINI survey (International Neuropsychiatric Interview diagnostic tool) revealed that 47% of the capital’s inhabitants presented at least one mental disorder. This problem especially extends to prison environments. According to the NGO Humanity & Inclusion, 98% of prisoners often feel sad, 90% feel tired, 70% are angry, 60% are afraid, 15% want to die and 2% have already tried to end their prison sentence. life.
Mental disorders fall within a broad spectrum of conditions that also include neurological and substance use disorders. Common conditions include depression and anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorders, and severe and disabling disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
In developing countries, mental disorders are likely to increase disproportionately in the decades to come, warns the WHO. Similarly, people who suffer from mental health problems and those with psychosocial disabilities have disproportionately higher rates of poor physical health as well as reduced life expectancy.
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