KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry received more than 43,000 calls via its psychosocial support hotline since the movement control order (MCO) started on March 18 until December 1 from those suffering stress as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the service, which was run with Mercy Malaysia, is aimed at helping the public, especially parents with special needs children, manage their mental health.
"This counselling service via telephone is given by a team of psychologists who are specially trained, including in providing psychological first aid to those in need. Among the problems they heard were loss of jobs, no source of income, family conflicts and relationship problems," he told the Dewan Negara today.
He was replying to a question from Senator Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi, who asked about the ministry's efforts to tackle psychological and mental problems faced by parents, especially those who have children with disabilities (OKU).
Dr Adham said the ministry is also implementing other efforts to provide psychosocial support to parents with children with disabilities, among them, setting up mental health and psychosocial support teams in each district, besides developing mental health and psychoeducation materials.
"Medical outreach is also undertaken to get OKU children and their guardians to come to Community-Based Rehabilitation Centres (PDK), apart from committee members for each PDK also playing a role to give advice, guidance and sharing their expertise to the OKU and guardians, covering mental health," he said.
He said the government also provides the Talian Kasih 15999 and Talian Khas Kaunseling Covid-19 hotlines via the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to safeguard the mental health of all Malaysians. – Bernama, December 16, 2020
