MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BENEFIT 1,200 PATIENTS

By Blessings Kumwenda
 

Chimwemwe Tembo

Mental Health Services that St. John of God provides in established five centers in the northern region have assisted 1,200 mental health patients who are now registered and receiving mental heath services.

This has been confirmed Tuesday by St John of God Community Programs Coordinator (CPC) Chimwemwe Tembo who said most people now appreciate the importance of mental health services and have registered.

Tembo said in April 2011 when they had just started offering the services they registered only 93 patients.

By that time the services were offered at St Annes Health Centre, Lusubiro and Kasantha Clinic in Karonga District, in Chitipa the services were offered at Kaseghe Health Centre.  Mzambazi Health Centre in Mzimba District was added later in 2012.

 By December 2012 the figures of people accessing mental health treatment rose to 738. 

Meanwhile 1,200 clients are registered and are accessing mental health services which she said symbolizes a big gap that existed in the districts in absence of the services.

She however expressed of a great increase in number of beneficiaries and that the growth is at a fast pace.

St John of God Community Programs Coordinator further explained that drugs for mental ill patients are available and that there are no shortages of drugs yet.

“We had once a problem of a shortage of certain drug that we provide to mental ill patients amongst other drugs but that problem was sorted out and the type of medicine is now available,” she said.

Tembo has since advised people to come to the centres and access mental health services that are offered at a free cost.

“Our first priority is to offer a service. The services that we provide are for free and to those out side the catchment area in which our hospital is located only pay k300 which is very reasonable compared to the medical treatment that we provide,” she said.

Tembo also appreciated government efforts in assisting them provide better services. She said through the office of District Health Officer (DHO) they are receiving a great support in terms of working personnel when ever they go out in these centres.

St. John of God is one of the biggest and reliable mental hospitals alongside Zomba Mental Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital.