SIBU: The increase in the number of psychiatric patients may cause difficulties in terms of management following the lack of professional manpower in medicine and health.
Efforts to deal with this increase need to be done holistically, which also involves the patient's family members to work closely with the healthcare community.
Sarawak Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapa’ee said this need arises from the increase in the number of individuals struggling with mental illness, despite the insufficient number of medical professionals available.
"Lately, we've heard a lot of stories about psychiatric numbers increasing, either because of post-Covid-19 or many other issues in our lives, which are more stressful now.
"The number of doctors, I was told, is also not increasing, but is decreasing. While the workload is increasing, so it becomes something unbalanced," he said.
He was met by reporters after attending a Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2024 celebration here, on Friday.
Taking the example of Sibu, Datuk Dr Annuar said that although the city currently has six psychiatrists, the workload requires at least eight to adequately serve the central region of Sarawak.
He also emphasised the importance of public involvement, particularly in providing emotional support and care, which he described as essential in psychiatric treatment.
“This field does not demand various technical skills, it is mainly about compassion and empathy. Public involvement can make a significant difference in the lives of our patients," he said.
Meanwhile, the Board of Visitors to the Sibu Hospital Psychiatric Ward proposed the construction of a nursing home for mental patients here.
Its Chairman, Kapitan Peter Lau Ik Yang said, not all mental patients need 24-hour monitoring from nurses and doctors.
"Sometimes they just need minimal monitoring, they don't necessarily need to stay in hospital for medical treatment.
"With the nursing home, they can learn skills such as making crafts and others.
"Then from there, they can learn to be more independent," he said.
Also present were Sibu Hospital Director, Dr Nanthakumar Thirunavukkarasu, Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Dr Wong Siong Teck and others. -UKASnews
