Thai mental health officials want psychiatric drugs listed as essential meds

The number of cases of major depressive disorders (MDD) is rising in Thailand, and officials are looking for solutions. The country’s Mental Health Department is looking to push for the inclusion of psychiatric drugs on Thailand’s list of essential medicines.

The department’s director-general said they will coordinate with the National Health Security office to promote this. The director-general, Dr Amporn Benjaponpitak, said the department is proactive in working with its network to screen people at risk of MDD. This way, they can access appropriate treatment.

Dr Amporn said that Thailand’s number of MDD cases shot up from 30,247 in 2020 to 33,891 cases last year. She noted that the uptick in cases overlapped with the Covid-19 pandemic, as has been the case across the globe.

Dr Amporn said that more psychiatric wards should be opened in state hospitals. There are currently 20 psychiatric hospitals in the country.

But luckily, Dr Amporn said there are enough trained psychiatrists and medics to treat the number of patients. She said there are currently 325 trained psychiatrists and about 2,800 psychiatric medics, such as nurses and psychologists. She added that families can be an important part of helping patients get help and support.

Back in March, the department reported that the suicide rate in Thailand was 5.9 times what it was in pre-Covid days. The department’s data found that people are 2.1 times more likely to develop stress, and 4.8 times more likely to develop depression than they were pre-pandemic.

A study by UNICEF from January 2020 to September 2021 found that 28% of Thai adolescents experienced high levels of stress, 32% risked depression, and 22% were at risk of suicide.

If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

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