Hanoi treated nearly 20,000 patients with mental illnesses last year, anincrease of 2,000 over 2013, said Ly Tran Tinh, Director of HanoiMental Hospital.
In previous years, some medical stations evendid not have any doctors specialising in mental health. Now medicalstations have independent wards for mental illness patients. Each wardhas between one and three doctors, and between one and five nurses,according to Tinh.
Medical stations across the city alsoorganised monthly health examinations and distributed medicine topatients. Some stations also had monthly meetings where they discussedpatients' conditions.
Mental illnesses treated include schizophrenia, depression, epilepsy and those caused by heroin addiction.
"Schizophrenia is one of the most difficult diseases to deal with, but it can be treated if it is discovered early," Tinh said.
Last year more than 8,000 schizophrenia patients received treatment.
Thecity distributed more than 40,000 leaflets to spread knowledge ofmental illnesses. It also organised training courses for social workers,schools and families on recognising early signs of mental illness.
Thisyear, the city's mental health sector will focus on three main goals,Tinh said. It will improve medical stations' capacities, improve thequality of treatment for patients who don't stay in the hospital toprevent them from discontinuing their treatment and give mental healthworkers more training, Tinh added.-VNA
In previous years, some medical stations evendid not have any doctors specialising in mental health. Now medicalstations have independent wards for mental illness patients. Each wardhas between one and three doctors, and between one and five nurses,according to Tinh.
Medical stations across the city alsoorganised monthly health examinations and distributed medicine topatients. Some stations also had monthly meetings where they discussedpatients' conditions.
Mental illnesses treated include schizophrenia, depression, epilepsy and those caused by heroin addiction.
"Schizophrenia is one of the most difficult diseases to deal with, but it can be treated if it is discovered early," Tinh said.
Last year more than 8,000 schizophrenia patients received treatment.
Thecity distributed more than 40,000 leaflets to spread knowledge ofmental illnesses. It also organised training courses for social workers,schools and families on recognising early signs of mental illness.
Thisyear, the city's mental health sector will focus on three main goals,Tinh said. It will improve medical stations' capacities, improve thequality of treatment for patients who don't stay in the hospital toprevent them from discontinuing their treatment and give mental healthworkers more training, Tinh added.-VNA
