• PM calls for institutional and community-based approaches

Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni stated the Government is taking steps to update the Mental Health Act, which is over 100 years old, to suit contemporary needs. He noted the initial draft of the proposed legislation has already been submitted to the relevant institutions, as well as to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Parliament, and that public consultations will be conducted in the future regarding the new Bill. He further explained the proposed legislation places special emphasis on protecting patient rights while incorporating modern medical and scientific practices into the legal framework. He made these remarks while addressing the centenary celebration of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Angoda, the premier institution in the field of mental health, held on Tuesday (3).

Addressing the same event, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that mental healthcare should be delivered through both institutional and community-based approaches, and that it is essential to change societal attitudes towards recipients of mental health services. The Premier emphasised that it is vital to further expand community-based mental health services in the future. “Mental health is not a field that can be confined solely to medical treatment. We must build a broader and more humane system of care by integrating multiple external sectors. In particular, we carry a responsibility to change the stigmatising attitudes that the society has concerning the recipients of mental health services. It is important to act with greater sensitivity and compassion towards patients”.