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Mental Health will Finally be Covered by the Lebanese Ministry of Health
This is such fantastic news for Lebanese people in general and mental health sufferers in particular.
This past Friday April 7, Deputy Prime Minister and Lebanese Minister of Health Ghassan Hasbani announced the coverage of mental health cases in Lebanese hospitals.
(Image via The Daily Star/ Ahmad Azakir)
“The Ministry of Health will begin to cover mental health as part of a comprehensive medical plan, managed by the Primary Health Care Department and supported by the World Bank,” Hasbani announced at an event marking World Health Day at the Grand Serail in Beirut.
This initiative will ensure that medical professionals are well trained in matters of mental health, an area of healthcare that has thus far been widely ignored in Lebanon. Instead of treating symptoms (perhaps self-harm, or an array of pains), doctors will be equipped to treat underlying mental issues that will possibly save many lives.
The Minister was quoted saying, “Nine out of ten people who do have mental issues in Lebanon cannot reach sufficient help.” This horrifying statistic will hopefully be greatly reduced once the Ministry starts actively tackling cases of mental health disorders.
Depression and anxiety are no different than sinusitis, both require real treatment. So seek it and help break the stigma of mental health illnesses in Lebanon, you could be saving a life.