World Mental Health Day today:

Depression prevention underway

Ridma Dissanayake

Mental Health Unit Head Dr Rasanjalee Hettiarachchi pins the official logo of the Mental Health Day 2012 on Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena

The Health Ministry Mental Health Unit has made arrangements to educate the public on measures to prevent depression through state hospital programmes countrywide to mark World Mental Health Day which falls today.

This year’s Mental Health Day is to be marked under the theme ‘Prevention of Depression'.

The official logo of this year's Mental Health Day is the butterfly.

The logo and a booklet about mental depression was handed over to Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena by the Voluntary Service Institute on Friday.

Addressing the gathering, the minister said the government will take measures to develop mental health in Sri Lanka and to make society a better place for persons recovering from mental depression.

Health Ministry Additional Secretary Dr Palitha Maheepala, National Institute of Mental Health Director Dr Jayan Mendis and Mental Health Unit Head Dr Rasanjalee Hettiarachchi were also present.