Minister Of Health: 1 In 10 Indonesians Experience Mental Health Disorders

JAKARTA - Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin said one in ten Indonesians had mental health problems.

"In Indonesia, one in ten people were detected. I think early detection of mental disorders is very weak, not yet advanced," said Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, November 7.

Minister of Health Budi said mental health problems are currently in the spotlight of the world. When compared, one in eight people in the world or about 910 million people in the world experience mental health problems.

He categorizes mental health disorders into three types, namely Anxiety, which is characterized by feelings of anxiety and anxiety, depression, and in the final stages of becomingappropriation.

"If you don't get treated, you become depressed. You don't treat it anymore, you become malnourished. When you getset, you go to a Mental Hospital (RSJ), it's hard to treat, like end-stage cancer," he said.

Minister of Health Budi assessed that the prevention of mental health disorders must be carried out at the xiety stage, with various clinical methods and consultations. For this reason, the Ministry of Health is gradually trying to provide optimal mental health services.

One of them, he said, was through mental health screening that can be done at the Puskesmas. Data from the Ministry of Health reports that 77 percent of districts/cities in Indonesia have carried out mental health screening at the Puskesmas.

However, currently there are only about 6.8 million people in Indonesia who are screening. This is still far from the screening target in 2023, which is around 31.3 million people. For this reason, the Minister of Health hopes that the community will play an active role in helping to deal with cases of mental health disorders in Indonesia by participating in mental health screening.

The Minister of Health revealed community involvement in handling mental health issues, as the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for mental health to be handled by the community, not the RSJ.

"Because it is an ancient strategy, now there is no RSJ in the world. So the trend is not like that anymore because people seeking treatment at the RSJ has become a stigma. By WHO, the mental health is encouraged to return to the community, if possible, the treatment is at the General Hospital with a mental ward," said Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin.