Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan speaks at a meeting to mark World Mental Health Day in Hà Nội on October 10 (Photo: VNA) With the theme “Make mental health and well-being for all a global priority”,World Mental Health Day raises awareness about mental health around the worldand mobilises efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues.
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan highlightedthe importance of strengthening community awareness of mental health andimproving mental health and early detection of mental disorders.
“Absolutely do not discriminate against people with mental health problems,because each of us may have certain mental disorders and only then can thetreatment of people with mental illness achieve positive results. It is alsonecessary to follow a healthy lifestyle, have a suitable work, study and restregime, monitor your own health and share with people around you,” said Thuan.
He asked agencies of the Ministry of Health to accelerate the development oflaws, policies and professional guidelines to enhance mental health care inhealth facilities and in the community, both pharmacologically andnon-pharmacologically.
The health ministry reported that 14.9% of Vietnamese suffers from one of the10 common mental disorders, which is about 15 million people. However, mostpeople associate mental disorders with schizophrenia.
The actual rate of schizophrenia is 0.47% of the population while depressionand anxiety rates account for up to 5-6% of the population. The rest are otherdisorders such as bipolar affective disorder, and psychosis related to alcoholand drug use.
In children, mental health problems are seen in about 12% or more than 3million children. Anyone can have a mental disorder at some point in theirlife.
Among non-communicable diseases, mental disorders are very common, are on therise and are the cause of many other health problems. In 2019, WHO estimatedthat one in eight people were living with a mental disorder, the most commonbeing anxiety disorders and depression./.
VNA
