69,026 mental health patients in Lanka

Nadira Gunatilleke

There are 69,026 mental patients in Sri Lanka and 37,181 are males and 31,845 females, a Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry spokesman said.

He said according to statistics, the number of persons who committed suicide in 2007 due to mental health problems are 251 out of which 72 females.

The Ministry released these statistics parallel to the World Mental Health Day which fell yesterday. It was all revealed that only 19 out of 65 mental health specialists have returned to Sri Lanka after receiving higher education in foreign countries sources said.

Schoolchildren are affected by mental health problems caused by stress.

Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has made arrangements to solve this problem by getting 43 more doctors capable of treating mental health patients. The Ministry has also appointed 80 Medical Officers of Mental Health.