Antigua mental health policy launched

By Caribbean Medical News Staff

A nineteen- page document, coordinated by technicians in Antigua’s Ministry of Health, The Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital, PAHO and WHO was officially launched at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and will seek to address issues and challenges facing Antigua and Barbuda as it relates to mental health disorders.

“When the stakeholders finally put together the draft document we determined that not only do we need to know what we are going to do,  but we need a vision”, said Coordinator of the Mental Health Reform Initiative, Clarence Pilgrim. Pilgrim also said the country needed to bring its laws in alignment with those of the world in accordance with international standards.

Pointing out that there was an absence of legislation that spoke to the issues of mental health in that country, Pilgrim said that the document gave rise to a national policy and a vision that all Antiguans and Barbudans have access to quality mental health care with the support that promoted wellness and recovery and reintegration into the society as productive and accepted people in the society.

Six areas were identified as priority areas for immediate action and include Access to Mental Health care, Integrated Mental Health care, Comprehensive Services for Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Mental Health Service Provision, Human Rights of the Mentally ill and Mental Health Promotion and Prevention according to Pilgrim.

Pilgrim said a major role of the policy was to de-stigmatize mental health issues and “decriminalization” of mental health issues.

Pilgrim said that the main goals are to provide affordable, adequate mental health care with a comprehensive focus on early identification of mental illness, rehabilitation and continuity of care as well. He stressed equitable access to care as well among the main goals of the policy.

The policy seeks to further capacity development within the health care profession as it relates to the provision of mental health services and to protect the constitutional and human rights of the mentally ill.

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