Mental health and wellness remained a priority of the Department of Health (DoH), the agency said yesterday in reply to former Vice President Leni Robredo’s lament on the lack of psychiatrists in the Philippines amid the rising number of mental health patients.
“The Department of Health thanks former Vice President Leni Robredo for pointing out that there is a lack of psychiatrists and mental health practitioners not just in the Philippines, but worldwide,” DoH spokesperson Assistant Secretary Dr. Albert Domingo said.
Domingo pointed out that item number 6 in the 8-point agenda of the DoH says, “Ginhawa sa isip at damdamin” or mental and emotional comfort.
He emphasized that this makes mental health and wellness a priority of the DoH.
He also assured that Health Secretary Ted Herbosa is working with members of the Philippine Council for Mental Health in this regard.
In a radio interview, Robredo, chairperson and president of Angat Buhay, said the non-government organization noticed the problem after it launched a free teleconsultation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
