69,026 mental patients in Sri Lanka ???

There are 69,026 mental patients in Sri Lanka and 37,181 are males and 31,845 females, a Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said.
He said according to statistics, the number of persons who committed suicide in 2007 due to mental health problems are 251 out of which 72 females.

But acccording to the regional task force established by the WPA and the Indo Australasian Psychiatry Association (IAPA), the mental health problems in Sri Lanka currently include: a) the mental health problems found in normal times; b) a substantial increase in common mental disorders and other mental health problems due to the adverse effects of the recent disaster; c) the mental health problems due to the adverse effects of conflicts in the North and East of the country. The burden of these problems is not only on the mental health system, but also on the general health system, where most patients tend to seek help for mental health problems, which are typically presented in the form of somatic complaints. The required efforts will not only have to centre on the immediate needs of this population with morbidity, but also include medium- and long-term plans aiming at a) building capacities and b) building and enhancing resilience and coping. (read more at http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1414733. )

The Ministry released these statistics parallel to the World Mental Health Day which fell yesterday. It was all revealed that only 19 out of 65 mental health specialists have returned to Sri Lanka after receiving higher education in foreign countries sources said.

Schoolchildren are affected by mental health problems caused by stress.
arrangements are made for 43 more doctors capable of treating mental health patients. The Ministry has also appointed 80 Medical Officers of Mental Health

'Art Against Stigma 2007' at National Art Gallery - for World mental health day

World Mental Health Day has been celebrated annually on 10 October since1992. Every year a different theme is set by the World Federation for WorldMental Health Day. The theme for 2007 is 'Mental health in a changing world: the impact of culture and diversity'.

I would like to bring to the attention of all of you members of the public, a unique event which, in my view symbolises the battle to remove the stigma attached to mental illness in this country. Called 'Art Against Stigma 2007' this is an exhibition of works done solely by the patients which will be held at the National Art Gallery, Green Path, Colombo 7, on Wednesday today and Thursday (11) October from 9 am to 7 pm each day.

There will be a celebration is being organized by SHANTHIHAM –Association for Health and Counselling- Jaffna with the partnership of other organizations which are working for mental health in Jaffna District. The programme will be held took place on 14th of this month in Jaffna

A new study from Prof. Daya Somasundaram on collective trauma in northern Sri Lanka. Published this Thursday 4 October

Associate Professor Somasundaram has completed a study on collective trauma in northern Sri Lanka, comparing effects on the community of the chronic war with those of the 2004 tsunami which killed 31,000 Sri Lankans. The research is published this Thursday 4 October in the online open access, peer-reviewed publication International Journal of Mental Health Systems.


“The natural disaster was a one-off catastrophic event that left a trail of destruction and loss,” says Assoc. Professor Somasundaram. “But it did not continue to exert a prolonged effect. As a result the severity of the collective trauma was much less. In fact, having lived through a prolonged war situation has meant that Tamil communities have learned skills and strategies that make them better able to cope with disasters.”

Assoc. Professor Somasundaram found the effects of chronic disasters, such as war, went beyond the individual to family, community and the wider society. Relief, rehabilitation and development programs to be effective need to address the problems of collective trauma, he says.

His study suggests that grass roots work within communities may work best. “In the aftermath of war communities suffer from mistrust, suspicion, silence, brutalisation, deterioration in morals and values, poor leadership, dependency, passivity and despair,” Assoc. Professor Somasundaram says.

“Apart from attending to the immediate basic needs and other acute problems in the rescue and relief phases after a major disaster, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development strategies need to include collective-level interventions. In fact, our experiences show that many individually oriented mental health interventions appear to fair much better when undertaken within an overall framework of a community strategy.”

The study, ‘Collective trauma in northern Sri Lanka: a qualitative psychosocial-ecological study’, is based on published data and qualitative research methods including participatory observation, key informant and focus group interviews.

The whole research can be read at: http://www.ijmhs.com/content/1/1/5

SAARC Psychiatric conference to be held in Sri Lanka

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Psychiatric Federation in association with the Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists will hold its 3rd International Conference of SAARC psychiatric Federation (SPF) at the Tangerine Hotel in Kalutara, Sri Lanka, from November 2-4

The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Human Resource Development in Mental Health Services in South Asia.’

In a message from the President of SAARC Psychiatric Federation Dr. I.R.S. REDDY who is also the President of Indian Psychiatric Society said that SAARC should try to find various strategies to combat problems arising from drugs, suicides, migration, poverty, religious and cultural differences and terrorism to improve the mental health of the people in the SAARC countries towards achieving peace, happiness and productivity.

The main objective of the Conference is to bring together the psychiatrists and other mental health professionals of South Asia to work together for the development of psychiatric services in the region.

institutional care is the fate of many children in Sri Lanka?

In Sri Lanka today institutional care is the fate of many children who have been abandoned by their parents. According to UNICEF, out of over 21,000 children in orphanages in Sri Lanka, one or both parents of over 19,000 of them are still alive.

UNICEF says in most cases it is a family member who leaves the child at an orphanage. "In Sri Lanka institutional care has become the sole option for many children because their family unit is destroyed, by such things as parental loss, separation or parental conflict. Another reason may be the war and displacement factors," UNICEF said in a 24 July report entitled, "Out of Sight - Out of Mind." Poverty is also a root cause with the family feeling they cannot afford to adequately provide for the child, according to the UN agency.

Poor conditions in orphanagesThe UNICEF report, published in collaboration with the government's Ministry of Child Development and Women's Empowerment, aims to improve living conditions in orphanages and ensure the children are cared for adequately.
There are currently 488 voluntary children's homes in Sri Lanka. Most are found in Batticaloa District which has 66, followed by Colombo with 60.
Living conditions for children in some of these homes is less than idyllic. According to the UNICEF report, only 12 children's homes are found to be fully compliant with current standards of care. Most homes are overcrowded and lack sufficient staff to provide the individual attention children need.

According to the UNICEF report, 136 orphanages said they did not have a sufficient number of beds: many of the children ended up sleeping on mats on the floor. In addition, UNICEF found that 142 homes were unable to provide separate storage space for children's personal belongings.

Theft from orphansDuring festivals children receive gifts and cash donations from well-wishers and foreigners who visit the area. However, according to the bureau, last year alone it received over 150 complaints against staff members for theft, during these festivals, of belongings and cash from children living in orphanages. Most of the complaints were lodged by relatives of the children.
The UNICEF report suggests a large number of cases of child institutionalisation could be avoided if better programmes were implemented to support families. "A clearer focus on family in child care policies could strengthen awareness about the rights to protection and care to which every child is entitled," UNICEF said. Currently Sri Lanka has no such policies in place.

Children in Sri Lanka ??

The battle for survival begins as early as when a child is conceived. In Sri Lanka, one out of five children is born with low birth weight and nearly one-third of children under-5 years are underweight. This is a result of inadequate weight-gain during pregnancy, anaemia and maternal under-nutrition. Although the incidence of infants receiving medical care has increased, the facilities at many clinics

and hospitals are inadequate.
While child mortality figures have steadily improved, malnutrition among children continues to be a major health problem. Nearly 24 per cent of children under 5 years, and 55 per cent in the 6-10 age group, are anaemic. Iodine deficiency is also prevalent in certain areas and can adversely affect the child’s physical and mental development. About one-third of households have no access to sanitation and about one-quarter have no access to safe drinking water, making Sri Lanka one of the worst served countries for water and sanitation in the region