1 in 3 Malaysians to suffer mental health issue by 2020
PUCHONG: Mental health is fast becoming a national concern and by 2020, one in three Malaysians are expected to suffer from some form of mental health issue, said Johnson & Johnson.
Johnson & Johnson Malaysia managing director Chin Keat Chyuan said this after distributing Ramadhan goodies to patients at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) psychiatric ward.
Also present at the hospital are Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association (MIASA) and Malaysia Mental Health Association (MMHA).
Chin said that the programme was aimed at opening channels among Malaysians to discuss mental health issues and lift the stigma attached to it.
“The statistics are troubling; mental health is expected to be the second biggest health problem for Malaysians by 2020 after heart disease.
“We hope programmes like this would touch patients’ lives and advocate mental health awareness. Campaigns like this will also help educate the public on maintaining their mental health in ensuring all around well-being,” said Chin.
Commenting on the programme, MIASA patron Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al Mustafa Billah Shah said psychiatric patients tend to feel isolated and lonely during festive seasons.
“As such, I am heartened by this collaboration which represents an important recognition to a cause I believe in,” she said.
