BRIEFS. government

Mental health program in the works

The government is putting the final touches on a document that will guide the country's health system toward improving treatment for those suffering from mental illnesses.

According to Víctor Aparicio, a consultant from the World Health Organization (WHO) for Central America and the Caribbean, the document calls for an assessment of the country's strengths and weaknesses in the area. This will also include an attempt to record statistical information about the disease for the first time.

“Most developing countries, such as Panama, have no statistical information,” Aparicio said.

The second part of the process will be to establish a directory of services based on their priorities.

The director general of the Ministerio de Salud, Nadya Pursel, admitted that the country has lagged behind in treating mental illnesses, saying that the focus, up to this point, has been on treating physical diseases.