Not getting better: Agong s daughter, association sound alarm over mental health situation in Malaysia msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Doing the needful: Belacan seller Saidah Ahmad from Kampung Bako in Kuching showing her registration on MySejahtera for the vaccination. The 41-year-old says, ‘
I hope to be vaccinated as quickly as possible as the number of cases in Sarawak is still high.’ ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star
PETALING JAYA: As the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme is expanded on April 19 to cover non-frontliners, health and communication experts say efforts should be ramped up to address vaccine hesitancy which is still prevalent among the people.
The experts have suggested incentives and transparency as well as engaging local community leaders and general medical practitioners (GPs) to encourage vaccine uptake.
The Green Ribbon Group was launched recently on March 23 (2021).
It is a social enterprise that aims to give momentum to the mental health agenda in Malaysia.
One avenue that my team and I would like to specifically push for is the need to strengthen psychosocial support in communities.
This is not a new approach to mental healthcare.
The Health Ministry has worked tirelessly on this front since the early 2000s.
Its Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services offers a helpline, psychological first aid and counselling.
I am also reminded of the ministry’s
Let’s TALK Minda Sihat campaign that was launched on World Mental Health Day in October 2019.
PETALING JAYA: Debt issues, family and marriage problems, relationship breakdowns and work pressure have been identified as factors that led to suicide among young Malaysians.
A report on “Youth Suicide in Malaysia” found that between March 18 and Oct 30 last year, one in four of the 266 suicide cases involved youngsters aged between 15 and 18.
The report, which focused on youth suicide in Malaysia and provided policy recommendations for its prevention, was published by Relate Mental Health Malaysia in collaboration with the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) on Feb 19.
It stated that the rising number of suicides during the Covid-19 pandemic is worrying.
The stigma around mental health prevents many from seeking help. Photo: Pixabay
Women are wired to help and when they are exposed to problems their desire to improve the lives of others kicks in.
Take the case of clinical psychologist Ellisha Othman.
The 40-year-old says having access to mental health care while she was in university abroad showed her just how important it is for students her to have the same.
Instead, when she returned to Malaysia, she noticed the stigma and inequities around mental healthcare compared to general healthcare.
Now, as the managing director of SOLS Health, she has made it her mission to break the stigma and increase access to mental health facilities, especially for the underprivileged.