A deputy from Shanghai attending the 10th
National People's Congress in Beijing has called for the faster
enactment of a law to better protect and care for people with
mental health problems.
"The demand for psychiatric services in China is soaring and
that is why we want to accelerate the process of formulating a
national law to protect people diagnosed with mental health
problems and improve mental health services," said Zhen
Huiqiang.
He said a harmonious society must attach great importance to
mental health and the starting point would be a guarantee that
psychiatric patients should have access to medical treatment and
convalescence services.
China began to draft the law on mental health in 1985, and a
15th draft was prepared last year.
Zhen said Shanghai enacted a local regulation on mental health
services in 2002, which is the first and only such regulation in
China and could serve as a national model.
Liu Xiehe, a senior mental health expert, said it is very
important to patients and their families that proper medical
services are provided.
Liu has participated in the drafting of the mental health law
from the very beginning.
"Unfortunately, more than half of patients cannot receive
treatment either because the family is not able to afford it or
because of scarcity of medical services," he said.
Despite the huge number of people now awaiting treatment, the
number of qualified psychiatrists is only about 15,000.
Liu said more government investment is needed in mental health
services, "for example, offering free care for patients as part of
efforts to ease the burden on families as well as on society."
He said such problems have to be resolved through legislative
measures, which would define the responsibilities of governments,
hospitals, communities and families in providing quality services
and financial support.
A growing number of Chinese are reported as experiencing mental
health problems, though they are not severe in the majority of
cases. Five percent suffer from at least mild depression and 13 out
of 1,000 have mental health problems.
(China Daily March 8, 2005)