Lawmaker urges enhanced mental health services

Lawmaker Lo Choi In urged the SAR government to prioritize mental health and psychiatric support services as the region grapples with a concerning rise in suicide rates.

This plea comes in the wake of a tragic incident involving a 17-year-old girl who fell from a building.

In a recent plenary session, Lo emphasized the need for increased support for community services and advocated for a “four-tier joint prevention” strategy to address mental health issues comprehensively.

The statistics are alarming, with Macau recording 88 suicide deaths in 2023, a 10% increase from the previous year. As of the third quarter of this year, there have already been 62 reported suicides, indicating a troubling trend that professionals warn may continue.

A recent survey conducted by a medical school and a professional institution revealed that 27% of respondents are at risk of depression, while 19% face anxiety. Additionally, the Macau Healthy Family Index Survey report highlighted that many families are struggling with life balance, further emphasizing the need for societal support.

While the government has made strides in addressing mental health through its four-tier mechanism, Lo pointed out that these efforts are insufficient given the complexity of addressing suicide.

Ongoing changes in social structure and environment, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have significantly impacted residents’ psychological well-being. He noted that, while there have been improvements in staffing and service integration within health centers, the current framework does not adequately meet the evolving needs of the community.

Lo drew comparisons with Hong Kong, where the government has actively invested in mental health resources and collaborated with various organizations to enhance service availability.

She urged the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture to ensure cohesive policy planning to avoid fragmented approaches to mental health care.

To effectively combat the rise in mental health issues, Lo called for an increase in resources dedicated to community services.

This includes hiring more social workers and counselors to expand service reach across different demographics. He also advocated for improved student counseling through smaller class sizes and increased investment in educational resources aimed at fostering psychological health.

“Prevention is better than cure,” Lo stated, highlighting the critical need for proactive measures. She encouraged both academic institutions and civic organizations to conduct more research into mental health issues and implement community activities designed to raise awareness and provide support. Nadia Shaw