Finding the way out of a mental health crisis
[ UniNews Vol. 13, No. 5
5 - 19 April 2004 ]
A University of Melbourne international mental health teaching and learning package was launched recently at the University by Australias Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer.
The package has been developed by the Universitys Centre for International Mental Health (CIMH) as part of a campaign to help stem the growing incidence of mental health problems in developing countries.
Presented as a CDDVD collection, the International Mental Health Leadership Program package is designed to be used as a teaching resource and to stimulate debate and action on mental health in the Asia-Pacific region.
According to CIMH Director, Professor Harry Minas, neglect of mental health is causing a crisis in health care in developing and post-conflict countries, particularly in the Asian region.
Speaking to an audience which included Fellows of the Centres International Mental Health Leadership Program he said: Of the 10 leading causes of disability in the world today, five causes are forms of mental illness. Ranked highest is depression the fourth most common cause of disability.
Professor Minas told the visiting Fellows from the Asia, USA and Australia that suicide alone accounts for 350,000 deaths each year in the Asian region, more than the number of people dying from car crashes or tuberculosis.
And yet the budget for mental health in many countries in the region is often less than 2 per cent of the national health budget, he said.
Professor Minas warned that recent terrorism fears added to the pressures against which people are already struggling, such as epidemics of new infectious diseases, rapid social and economic change, mass movement of rural residents to urban mega-cities, and the ever-widening gap between rich and poor.
Professor Minas told the group that Australia can play an important role in dealing with this growing mental health problem.
Regional governments are struggling to respond effectively to this mental health challenge. But we know that Australia can play a very constructive role in helping them to do so, he said.
Professor Minas said CIMH would redouble its efforts to support psychiatrists and policy makers worldwide in tackling a massive regional health problem.
Since the leadership program was established three years ago, our Fellows have really made a difference, sometimes in quite courageous and innovative ways, in improving the outlook for people with mental illness in the region, Professor Minas said.
But obviously, the pressure is on quite literally and we need to realise the vision we have to improve the lives of mentally ill people by encouraging governments to acknowledge that neglect of the mentally ill often results in serious abuse of their human rights.
The International Mental Health Leadership Program is a joint initiative of the University of Melbourne and Harvard Medical School. Psychiatrists from 14 Asian countries, Australia, UK and the USA have completed the program.
We have a long way to go, but we feel we are starting to see some real results, Professor Minas said. It is particularly gratifying that an Australian institution has been able to take a lead in this critical area and we are pleased and honoured that Mr Downer has agreed to launch our teaching materials.
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