Mental health services lacking in Papua New Guinea

Mental health services are a missing link in Papua New Guinea. Millions of people silently suffering from mental health conditions. Even the department of health, a provider of health services in the country has lacked skill manpower and funding support to make services available throughout the country.

Both public and private sectors are yet to realize the need to employ well trained Mental Health Professionals/Counselors in their organisations. Many Workers are mentally affected, depressed and suffer silently, as a result, setback personal development as well as contributing meaningfully to their organizations.

There are no professionally trained graduated Clinical Psychologists attached in all the major public and private health facilities. The major health settings only provide physical treatment but forget about the heart of life -The Mind. As a result, there is no complete provision of medical treatment to those who visit them.

In addition, there is a lack of lifestyle health programs conducted in the country. Every year, death notices are published in the print media that high profile people like judges, lawyers and top elites are dying from a heart attack, stroke or diabetics etc. 

The top government officials lack knowledge of the kind of services requires to improve work performance that stimulates creativity and innovation.

In some sections of the community there are Social Welfare Officers, but no lifestyle health programs.

Generally, the workers in Papua New Guinea is unhealthy. Just walking down the street of Port Moresby, Lae, Goroka or Hagen their physical appearance is simply not encouraging; they are overweight, with big bellies hanging down, cannot walk properly which will affect their health.

Many of these officers do not attend yearly or even quarterly health check-ups or do not seek professional psychological counselling services so that many of their issues can be sorted out professionally, thus take full control of their life.

Papua New Guinea, as a country, needs counselling services and lifestyle health programs in every section of the society if the country wants to produce a healthy and fit society.