Paulina Quintao – The government does not have a coherent policy for the treatment of those suffering from mental illnesses, says Member of Parliament Virgilio da Costa Hornai.

The president of Commission F (education, health, culture, veterans' affairs and gender equality) said mental illness sufferers required specialist treatment but were currently only provided general care.

He said the government needed to fulfil its responsibility to care for those with mental illnesses. At present, care for such patients falls to non-government organizations. "I think our treatment policy for people affected by mental illness is inadequate," he said.

"We should have a review to determine how to treat them and provide assistance to them, as they are citizens just like any other person," he said. He called for the establishment of a specialist mental illness unit which would provide housing and counselling to patients.

PRADET mental illness program co-ordinator Anibal Idalino said the government should already have a plan to build rehabilitation centres in each district.

"These centres should be built in the districts as well to provide treatment to our people who suffer from mental illness and to educate their families on how to take care of them," he said.

Health Ministry representative Alipio Gusmao Lopes acknowledged that provisions for mental illness sufferers were inadequate as they faced funding and staff limitations.

He said while the government had not built a specific mental health centre, it had worked with PRADET and Sao Joao Laclubar to provide care. "The government has an obligation to establish a psychiatric hospital as it is very important to treat mental illness sufferers," he said.

He said those plans had already been made by the current government in regard to the provision of staff, facilities and equipment.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/news/12918-timor-leste-mental-health-system-not-good-enough