Post-covid19 mental health framework this week

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said a post-covid19 mental health framework is scheduled to be announced this week.

Deyalsingh was speaking on Monday at the Ministry of Health's daily covid19 virtual media conference.

"We are going to be working on a national plan for mental health issues coming out of covid. How are people dealing with confinement? How are people dealing with depression?"

He said he had raised the issue with Health Ministry director of mental health Dr Hazel Othello since last Thursday or Friday and a meeting was scheduled for 11.30 am Monday.

"We have a framework but we will be making this framework public. We will be welcoming your suggestions because, post- this peak of 116 cases, and as we start to get accustomed to the new normal, we at the ministry are cognisant of the behavioural changes that we have to make and what these changes are doing to our psyche."

He said the situation was occupying "top-of-mind attention" at the ministry.

"And as soon as we have something concrete to bring to you within the next couple of days (we will)."

Deyalsingh said Othello had been reaching out to the private sector and reaching out to "everyone" to be a part of the national mental health response.

Asked about policies to provide mental health care for health practitioners dealing with covid19 patients, and in light of a report of a young doctor recently dying by suicide, Deyalsingh said the issue had been previously addressed by Othello. He also said the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) was in place where any healthcare worker with any sort of problem, including psychological or emotional, could take full advantage of it. He added that Othello had been ramping up the EAP for healthcare workers.

UWI senior lecturer in psychiatry Dr Sandra Reid, at a UWI virtual symposium on Sunday, said the protracted disruption of life and relative loss of freedom could result in anger, depression, anxiety and even grief.