Govt. puts premium on mental health program

MENTAL HEALTH conditions cost the Philippine economy a staggering P68.9 billion each year, equivalent to 0.4% of its GDP, according to a mental health investment case for the Philippines launched by the Department of Health (DOH) and the United Nations.

According to DOH, around 96% of this cost comes from loss in productivity, with the remaining 4% coming from healthcare costs. But the good news is that investing in a small set of evidence-based, cost-effective actions could result in 700,000 healthy life years gained and over 5,000 lives being saved in the country, with economic benefits of P217 billion over the next 10 years.

The Investment Case Report outlines a number of recommendations that support the country’s implementation of the Mental Health Act, with continuing support through the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health.

“As the COVID-19 continues varying degrees of worry, fear, and concern continue to cloud everyone’s minds, the scale of the pandemic’s impact has gone far beyond physical health. It has also led to a concerning rise of psychological suffering and, consequently, an increase in the demand for the entire continuum of mental health interventions, from health promotion to specialized health service delivery,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire also stressed the government’s commitment to the prevention and management of mental health through the implementation of the Mental Health Act and with the guidance of the findings on the Investment Case Report.

“If we are to follow the recommendations of the Investment Case, we may be able to save more than 5,000 lives and gain more life-years by reducing the incidents, duration, and severity of mental health conditions. Guided by the National Mental Health Strategic Plan for 2019-2023, we are implementing the provisions of the Mental Health Care Law, and now through the Investment Case for Mental Health, we would have specific actionable steps to strengthen the whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach,” she said.

Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, the WHO Representative to the Philippines, emphasized the significant economic impact of mental health conditions and urged the country’s decision-makers to prioritize investments to support people suffering from key mental health conditions.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a silent pandemic of mental stress and psychosocial issues in addition to disrupting the limited available resources for mental, neurological, and substance use disorder in the country. The insights presented by the Investment Case Report supports evidenced-based opportunities to reduce the adverse health impacts of mental health conditions as well the economic benefits that outweigh the cost of investment,” Abeyasinghe said.

Daniel Grafton, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Consultant, noted some of the opportunities that can help sustain the management of mental health in the country. Among these are the establishment of the Philippine Council on Mental Health to oversee the implementation of the Mental Health Act, the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program, and other initiatives being implemented by DOH, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Department of Education (DepEd), and partner stakeholders.

According to Dr. Corazon Dumlao, DepEd Chief of School Health Division, the population-based interventions have the greatest impact in preventing mental health issues, particularly depression and anxiety. She said investment should be made in enabling mental health professionals, training, and hiring counselors in DepEd for prevention and provision of basic mental health services in schools.

Dr.Felix Laban Jr., of the DOLE’s Bureau of Working Conditions, has cited the creation of guidelines mandating the implementation of Mental Health Policy and Programs in the workplace.

He said the Investment Case Report provides evidence of the benefits of scaled-up interventions to the Department of Finance and other non-relevant non-health sectors. The Report enumerated various challenges the country is facing concerning mental health conditions, including the growing prevalence of mental health and substance use conditions, the stigmatization of people facing mental health conditions, the meager number of trained mental health specialists, and inadequate resources invested in mental health services.

National and international experts who are part of the WHO and UNDP support to the Philippines have called on the Duterte government, and public and private sector partners to promote mental health with the following recommendations: (1) strengthen mental health leadership and governance; (2) invest in evidence-based, cost-effective clinical and population-based mental health interventions; (3) include a mental health intervention while extending UHC; (4) increase the capacity of the health-care workforce and the health system to provide mental health; and (5) Invest in mental health research and development.

Last October, the DOH and the USAID RenewHealth project launched the “Lusog-Isip”, the first mobile application for mental health and self-care for Filipinos. Lusog-Isip was developed in response to the growing need for mental healthcare, especially at this time of the Covid-19 pandemic when the delivery of traditional face-to-face interventions has become more challenging.

The application aims to expand access to culturally-adapted, evidence-based tools and interventions on mental health, emphasizing self-help and self-care. It also screens individuals so it can get a better sense of their overall well-being and how they usually cope with stress, before recommending ways they can help themselves through workbooks, exercises, audio guides, journaling, mood tracking, or simple self-care reminders. If users feel they really need to speak to someone, they can also access a list of mental health and psychosocial support service providers near them or online.

“This app is a timely innovation and we thank our partners at USAID for making this a reality. As the DOH and our health workers strive towards coping and living with this pandemic, we must find ways to care for the mental well-being of our fellow Filipinos who continue to suffer because of this current circumstance.”

“Lusog-Isip is a self-care app and one way we can make mental healthcare more accessible to those who need it,” said Frances Prescilla Cuevas, Chief Health Program Officer of the DOH Mental Health Division.

The application is available for both Android and iOS devices through the Google Play and Apple App Store. The development of Lusog-Isip is also timely in Zamboanga City where the number of suicide cases is high due to depression. And only recently, two young men hanged themselves separately due to depression.

Official data of national and local suicides cases were not immediately available, but last year, there were at least 20 cases of suicides in Zamboanga that prompted Mayor Beng Climaco to order the City Health Office to formulate a mental health program and for the City Budget Office to fund the project.

City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite attributed these incidents to many factors, including stress due to the current health crisis. “With what is happening right now due to the pandemic, this contributes to our stress. Those who cannot cope with or handle the stress well get depressed and some of them commit suicide,” Miravite said.

“We are sad over the number of suicide incidents due to frustrations as a result of Covid-19, but as mayor of Zamboanga City together with the department heads and 98 barangays, we do everything possible to help alleviate the plight of our people, especially during these trying times of the pandemic. There is hope in our efforts in God’s grace,” the mayor said.

Climaco said mental health programs are important, especially during this time of the pandemic. “Our local government requested the City Budget Office to study the program together with our mental health professionals,” she said.

She said a team of medical officers from the City Health Office and other agencies have already met and will come up with a program addressing mental health issues. “We are concerned with everybody’s mental health and mental health awareness is very important and we need to raise the collective consciousness about mental health,” she said. (Zamboanga Post)