Gov’t to train up general practitioners on mental health issues

In the past two weeks, Macau has witnessed a number of deaths by suicide, affecting individuals from teenagers to older adults.

This trend has sparked action from the government to more effectively address mental health issues, according to a briefing after a committee meeting earlier this week, where reports of growing cases of suicide were addressed.

Authorities have announced plans to train general practitioners and family doctors to better detect and address mental health concerns.

This initiative aims to expand the number of healthcare professionals equipped to provide mental health services.

The waiting time for mental health assistance is now two weeks at the public hospital.

Zheng Anting, chairman of the Monitoring Committee for Public Administration Affairs, said “the first step is to train other practitioners and family doctors to recognize mental illness.”

By building the skills of GPs, the government hopes to create a frontline defense against mental health crises.

For Zheng, the Health Bureau is committed to implementing general training programs for these doctors and its goal is to ensure that more healthcare professionals can offer immediate support to citizens in need.

“When other doctors are in need, they can also provide support to citizens requiring mental assistance,” Zheng added.

The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) encourages residents to be conscious of their psychological and emotional state as well as those of their relatives and friends. If in need, residents can call Caritas’ Life Hope hotline (28525222) or IAS’ counseling hotline (28261126).