Nearly 15 pct of Vietnam’s population suffer mental disorders

About 15 percent of Vietnam’s population have mental disorders, a forum in Hanoi heard on April 14.
About 15 percent of Vietnam’s population have mental disorders, a forum in Hanoi heard on April 14.

Theconditions include schizophrenic, epilepsy, depression, amnesia,alcohol and drug addiction, and adolescent behaviour problems, saidspeakers at the Asia-Pacific International Training-research Network onMental Health Forum.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese DeputyHealth Minister Nguyen Viet Tien stressed that the meeting can helpestablish a regional cooperation network on services, training andresearch to improve the lives of mental disorder sufferers.

Thelack of scientific research and information on mental health hinders thedevelopment and implementation of policies on the issue, the officialsaid, emphasising the need to speed up research and provision ofevidence on mental health in order to realise goals set in a globalaction plan on the area for 2013-20.

During the two-daydiscussions, domestic and foreign participants will share experience anddiscuss priorities in research in mental health for further cooperationin the region.

The event has drawn participants from manycountries, including Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar and thePhilippines. It is being held by the Ministry of Health, the Universityof Rochester, Melbourne University, the World Health Organisation (WHO),and the University of Oslo.

According to the WHO, mentaldisorders account for 14 percent of the global disease burden, of which75 percent is reported in low- and medium-income countries.

Withan aim of improving mental health, the organisation has appealed foraction from governments; social, multilateral, bilateral and privateorganisations; global partners; and research agencies.

It hasrecommended countries to build, strengthen and implement policies,strategies and regulations relating to the issue, while encouraging theinvolvement of the community and patients’ families in carrying outdisease-related legislation.-VNA

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