International Observatory Seeks to Give a Thrust to Global Mental Health

To put an end to human rights violations against those suffering mental illness in the developing nations, an International observatory has been set up by The University of Melbourne in Australia.

Bob McMullan, Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, will launch the Observatory on Mental Health Systems (IOMHS) at the University of Melbourne.

Group Psychotherapy Effective in Treating Depression Among Teen Girls
Group psychotherapy was effective in reducing depression among displaced adolescent girls who are survivors of war in northern Uganda.

''The health systems in low and middle income countries are hugely under-funded often resulting in enormous neglect and abuse of the human rights of people with mental illness,'' said Associate Professor Harry Minas, Director of the University's Centre for International Mental Health, who has led the initiative.

Human rights abuse includes the restraining of mentally ill people in shackles, or stocks, in a practice known as Pasung, which is still active in Indonesia and many other low-income countries.

Another less visible, but not less important, human rights abuse was the lack of mental health services even for people with severe and disabling mental disorders.

Narcotics Aggravate Mental Illness
A new study has found that drugs can have an adverse impact on the brains of people suffering from mental illness.

Minas said that 80 to 90 percent of schizophrenia patients in low-income countries receive little or no treatment.

Also, mental disorders are responsible globally for 35 percent of all years lived with a disability.

More Middle-aged Women Take to Exercising in Australia
More middle-aged women are taking to regular exercises these days, reducing their risk of heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, arthritis and mental illness.

Hailed as the first of its kind, the observatory will help develop research by monitoring and evaluating programs at national and district level.

It will rely on the establishment of strong partnerships with key stakeholders, including Ministries of Health, university research groups, local and international NGOs, professional associations and mental health practitioners.

Coverage for Children?s Mental Illness Reduces Out-of-Pocket Spending
State regulations requiring equal insurance coverage for mental illness does not increase usage and reduces out-of-pocket

The observatory will begin its work in Asia and the Pacific region, where Minas and his team have been working for more than 10 years.

''The good news is that our mental health programs have made an impact in Indonesia and in Sri Lanka and raised the awareness of the need for change,'' said Minas.

He added: ''Aceh and the Southern province of Sri Lanka now have functioning community mental health services with trained nurses and GPs and village volunteers. Many thousands of people have received treatment.

''The Aceh Government has acknowledged the mental health development work that has been done in the region and has committed to eradicating the practice of Pasung. The Sri Lankan Government has requested that the mental health development program be extended to other parts of the country, particularly where the recent conflict has been so devastating.

''The observatory will improve the human rights of people with mental illness and promote the scaling up of effective mental health services in low and middle income countries around the world.''

Source-ANI
SAV