Speaking at a meeting of the Association in Managua, Nicaragua, the Regional secretary for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean of the Latin American Association of Psychiatrists, Jose Miguel Gomez, has warned that the cases of mental disorders amongst young people have increased and lamented that the State does not invest sufficient in the prevention and cure, and that there are no effective programs.
He said that mental health in this country is expensive and called on the Association of Health Risks to improve their coverage, not just of consultants but also of medicines, so that thousands of those affected will not continue to be excluded. Children, adolescents and old people are the most vulnerable.
He highlighted the fact that there are no inpatient facilities for children and adolescents, who can only be treated by consultations and those who need to be admitted to hospital for psychotic disorders, drug abuse and dependency, attempted suicide and serious behavioral disorders are marginalized.
The specialist said that there were no public mental health policies with sufficient investment to provide prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The only beds for these are in third level psychiatric hospitals.
He proposed that detoxification and rehabilitation units should be created, where treatment was can be available from psychiatrists and not by religious personnel, nor recuperating addicts. He also suggested implementing efficient policies, a program for prevention of alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, gender violence, suicide and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents.
He said that health care received less than 5% of the Gross Domestic Product, and mental health less than 1.8% of this budget.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2013/7/28/286166/Trastornos-mentales-aumentan-en-jovenes-critican-falta-de-programas