CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)–The Department of Health (DOH)-10 urged family members and friends of people who are attempting to commit suicide to lend their “listening ear” as they need help more than ever.
In a recent episode of Konsultayo, a media and health forum hosted by Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA), mental health issues and concerns usually start from bottled emotions that need to be expressed and someone to care, said Dr. Jose Llacuna Jr, DOH-10 regional director.
“Suicide or even attempts of suicide are desperate attempts for the concerned person to be listened to. Paminawa ko ninyo kay naa koy problema (Listen to me because I have a problem),” Llacuna said.
There is a belief that anyone who goes to a psychiatrist is labeled crazy. “We should be very realistic to meet that expectation nga angay natong tabangan ang kadtong nagkinahanglan (that we need to help those that need help),” he said.
Meanwhile, DOH through the Mental health Program has initiated a capacity training for doctors and nurses in the region where they can diagnose and provide medicine.
“Naa na ta’y gibuhat nga training kay tungod gamay ra kaayo atong psychiatrist sa tibuok Pilipinas, naa’y gihimo nga programa ang mental health, gitawag natog Mental Health GAP, Global Action Program, gitudluan nato atong mga doctor, nga dili mga espesyalista, nga unsaon pag diagnose og pag manage sa isa ka tao nga naay sakit sa pang huna-huna,” said Ma. Dolores Mercado, Nurse V of DOH-10.
(We have done a training because we have very few psychiatrists in the whole Philippines, we have made a mental health program, we call it Mental Health GAP, Global Action Program, we have taught our doctors, who are not specialists, in diagnosing and managing a person with mental illness)
The DOH also calls out media personnel who reports suicide news to be very sensitive about the case, Mercado said, as this could affect especially young ones.
“Dili na nato siya ipadako, dili kailangan in detail gyud. Dili siya maayo labi na sa mga batan-on, kay naa siya’y epekto sa ilang panghunahuna,” she said.
(Let’s not exaggerate anymore, we don’t really need to go into detail. It is not good especially with young people, because it has an effect on their minds)
Further, under the Mental Health Act, it is no longer allowed to tie those that are mentally ill or humiliate them in public, said Mercado. (JMOR/PIA-10)
