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Mental Health Reform for St. Lucia

Contact: Primus Hutchinson

Tuesday, April 02, 2002 - Officials of the Ministry of Health, Human Services and Family Affairs are attending a two-day seminar on Mental Health Reform aimed at developing a strategy for providing mental health services to St. Lucians that are adequate, efficient and equitable. The seminar comes on the heels of recent complaints from the public about the quality of care being provided at the island’s lone mental health facility.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, John Husbands says many of the problems have been long in existence. According to Husbands, many of these problems are symptomatic of the social and economic development of the country. He added that the current global events which affect St. Lucia are having a profound impact on the island’s health systems in terms of value, opportunities and risks.

The Health official stated that the World Health Organization, WHO reports that mental illness accounts for 12% of all diseases worldwide and nearly half of all measurable disabilities.

Mr. Husbands noted that between 1500 and 15,000 persons in Saint Lucia suffer with some form of mental illness, while the population of Golden Hope Hospital ranges from 130 to 190 persons at any one time.

Based on the severity of the country’s mental health situation at present, the Government has renewed its thrust to develop and strengthen mental health programmes and policies. These policies and programmes Husbands said, will demonstrate respect for the rights of persons with mental illness and there will be a de-emphasizing of institutional care. ”We are going to launch a campaign which seeks to reduce the stigma of mental illness,” the Deputy Permanent Secretary said.

Husbands noted that consistent with the primary health care focus of the health reform process, there will be the strengthening of the community mental health services. According to him, persons with mental illnesses, their families as well as non-psychiatric members of the team, are as important as the psychiatrist in the holistic approach to the maintenance of mental health.

During the seminar, advisor to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Dr. Colin Rickard presented a report on the framework for the delivery of mental health services in St. Lucia.

The Mental Health Reform seminar was held at the Bay Gardens Hotel from April 02 - 03.

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