Government studying mental care program for COVID-19 survivors — Galvez
MANILA, Philippines — A senior administration official on Thursday said government is exploring a mental care program for COVID-19 survivors, saying post-recovery struggles for those infected have been a serious problem.
In a Palace briefing, Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the national task force against COVID-19, said trauma for patients has remained high, more than a year into the pandemic.
The chief implementer of the government's pandemic response added that they receive many calls from those suffering from mental breakdowns, as well as suicide cases.
"We will have an elaborate..social healing and mental care to have what we call reconstruction and reconstitution," he said in Filipino. "Many families are having breakdowns and we see that they do not know what to do."
Galvez added that they are in talks with experts for this, as part of the government's National Action Plan.
Early this April, a research in The Lancet Psychiatry journal said one in three people who recover from COVID-19 suffer from a neurological or psychiatric diagnosis six months later.
It was the largest global study done so far on how being infected affects the individual's mental wellbeing, with 230,000 patients.
This remains unclear in the local setting, with no official studies so far and Galvez's remarks showing only a portion of the possible picture.
By April 29, the Philippines has tallied 942,239 recoveries from the COVID-19. Deaths have reached 17,145, with the overall tally is now at 1,028,738. — with reports from Agence France Presse
If you’re experiencing an emotional crisis and in need of help, you may contact Hopeline’s hotline at 804-4673, 09175584673 and 2919 (toll-free for Globe and TM subscribers); or the NCMH hotline at 0917 8998727 (USAP) and 9898727 (USAP)
- Latest
- Trending
