DOH ensures help for mental patients

MANILA, Philippines — Residents of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) who are suffering from mental health conditions are now assured of the availability of medical services, the Department of Health (DOH) said over the weekend.

“Mental health services are now more accessible for residents in the region through a better referral system and with the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) program,” Eduardo Janairo, DOH-Calabarzon regional director, said over the weekend.

Once a person is diagnosed with mental illness, he would be given proper care and continuous treatment, whether or not he is confined in a mental institution, Janairo said.

“Patients must know that they have somebody to rely on and that is the essence of UHC,” he added.

He said the agency is creating the regional mental health council to sustain the program.

The DOH would allocate a bigger budget for mental health services to provide for the medicine and treatment of the patients.

It will also set up a database to determine the number of people with mental  health conditions and provide the necessary interventions for them.

“We will now be able to implement the program in Calabarzon and help all those who need assistance,” Janairo said.