Members of Parliament have proposed that mental health services should be provided in district hospitals in order to address some of the challenges associated with mental health issues in Malawi.
Chairperson for Parliamentary committee of health Mathews Ngwale said this during presentation of a report on mental health.
“The committee recommend that provision of mental health services be extended in all districts hospitals than depending only on Zomba Central Hospital and St John of God,” he said.
He also said the committee observed that most of the health workers are not trained to provide mental health related services.
Member of Parliament for Lilongwe South Peter Dimba also proposed discriminalization of suicide related cases so that those victims attempting to or survived from committing suicide should not be prosecuted.
Ngwale was in support with the proposal and promised to discuss at committee level considering that most people commit suicide due to different reasons beyond their control.
Some members asked the committee to come up with measures of controlling mental health related cases saying some of them are avoidable.
They mentioned issues to do with economic hardships drug and abuse as examples which can be controlled when some measures are applied.
They proposed that government should come up with interventions to support people financially to get away of depression and related causes.
Among the recommendations, the committee emphasised the need for public awareness which can help to address some causes of suicide.
Statistics indicate that more men commit suicide than women due to mental health related cases.
