Mental health services have to be improved for the healthy development of children. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Mental health and psychosocialproblems are widespread and increasing in Vietnam, particularly amongchildren and young people.
Despite some progress, mental health services in VietNam remain largely inadequate, according to a new study released onFebruary 6 by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry ofLabour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Overseas DevelopmentInstitute (ODI).
The lack of mental health services is particularly acute in remoteprovince. There, services are insufficient to prevent suicide and treat mentalhealth disorders, which are often at the heart of suicidal ideation andattempts, according to the study of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing amongchildren and young people in selected provinces and cities in Vietnam.
Friday Nwaigwe, chief ofthe Child Survival and Development Programme of UNICEF Vietnam, said, “Childrenwith mental disorders face major challenges with stigma, isolation anddiscrimination, as well as lack of access to health care and educationfacilities, in violation of their fundamental human rights.”
While some mental healthand psychosocial services are provided through social welfare and socialprotection centres, mental health hospitals and psychosocial units in schools,their quality and coverage is limited, and often focused on severe mentalhealth disorders.
In her opening remarks atthe workshop, Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao HongLan emphasised that the findings of the study provide evidence to inform linesectors and provinces in development and implementation of comprehensiveservice systems to respond to the needs of mental health and psychosocialsupport for children and young people in Vietnam.
The report recommends theVietnamese government strengthen and increase the quantity and quality of humanresources for mental health in the public sector, as well as the number andtype of services, particularly those focusing on less severe mental healthproblems.
The study also emphasisesthe importance of raising awareness of the need to address children and youngpeople’s psychosocial wellbeing.
The study highlights the importance of a supportive familyenvironment, good social and peer networks, supportive teachers and role modelsas protective factors.
Experts at the workshopbelieved that findings from this study would inform recommendations on how toaddress children and young people’s mental health. They also argued that the recommendationsshould be considered by existing national level programmes, including theNational Programme on Social Support and Rehabilitation for People with MentalIllness and the National Targeted Programme on Health, as well as futureprogramming and legal frameworks in the planning stages, including the NationalStrategy on Mental Health, 2016-2025, with a view to 2030.
According to WHO, mentaldisorders are defined as a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions,emotions, behaviour and relationships with others, whereas biologically baseddisorders can include depression, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia andother psychoses, dementia, intellectual disabilities and developmentaldisorders including autism.-VNA
Despite some progress, mental health services in VietNam remain largely inadequate, according to a new study released onFebruary 6 by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry ofLabour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Overseas DevelopmentInstitute (ODI).
The lack of mental health services is particularly acute in remoteprovince. There, services are insufficient to prevent suicide and treat mentalhealth disorders, which are often at the heart of suicidal ideation andattempts, according to the study of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing amongchildren and young people in selected provinces and cities in Vietnam.
Friday Nwaigwe, chief ofthe Child Survival and Development Programme of UNICEF Vietnam, said, “Childrenwith mental disorders face major challenges with stigma, isolation anddiscrimination, as well as lack of access to health care and educationfacilities, in violation of their fundamental human rights.”
While some mental healthand psychosocial services are provided through social welfare and socialprotection centres, mental health hospitals and psychosocial units in schools,their quality and coverage is limited, and often focused on severe mentalhealth disorders.
In her opening remarks atthe workshop, Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao HongLan emphasised that the findings of the study provide evidence to inform linesectors and provinces in development and implementation of comprehensiveservice systems to respond to the needs of mental health and psychosocialsupport for children and young people in Vietnam.
The report recommends theVietnamese government strengthen and increase the quantity and quality of humanresources for mental health in the public sector, as well as the number andtype of services, particularly those focusing on less severe mental healthproblems.
The study also emphasisesthe importance of raising awareness of the need to address children and youngpeople’s psychosocial wellbeing.
The study highlights the importance of a supportive familyenvironment, good social and peer networks, supportive teachers and role modelsas protective factors.
Experts at the workshopbelieved that findings from this study would inform recommendations on how toaddress children and young people’s mental health. They also argued that the recommendationsshould be considered by existing national level programmes, including theNational Programme on Social Support and Rehabilitation for People with MentalIllness and the National Targeted Programme on Health, as well as futureprogramming and legal frameworks in the planning stages, including the NationalStrategy on Mental Health, 2016-2025, with a view to 2030.
According to WHO, mentaldisorders are defined as a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions,emotions, behaviour and relationships with others, whereas biologically baseddisorders can include depression, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia andother psychoses, dementia, intellectual disabilities and developmentaldisorders including autism.-VNA
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