A medical worker give consultation to a ptient with depression
According to the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City, depression is one of the most common mental disorders, manifesting with varying degrees from mild to moderate and most worryingly severe because most people who commit suicide have a mental disorder, most commonly a depressive disorder or a substance abuse disorder.
Worryingly, many scientific reports around the world have proved the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on people's mental health.
According to the World Health Organization, in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the proportion of people suffering from anxiety and, more seriously, depression globally increased to 25 percent. People with severe depression without receiving treatment tend to commit suicide which is almost a predictable outcome.
Therefore, people around those who are severely depressed promptly should learn how to detect potential warning signs for suicide to seek the help of an emergency team.
Subsequently, the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City sought the opinions of experts in the field of psychiatry and emergency medicine outside the hospital who all supposed the significance of the health sector’s medical treatment of people with depression.
Moreover, the 115 Emergency Center and the Ho Chi Minh City Psychiatric Hospital will assume responsibility for this treatment.
Specifically, when discovering that a family member or colleague, a member of a team working together or living together shows signs and symptoms of severe depression, immediately call 911 - telephone number of Emergency Center 115 or number 19001267 - Customer care phone number of Ho Chi Minh City Psychiatric Hospital.
After receiving the call, the medical staff on the switchboard will ask some screening questions and will notify the emergency team 115. Upon receiving the message, the hospital emergency team 115 will approach the scene to persuade and send the patient to a mental hospital for care and treatment. Once, the patient’s mental disorder is relieved, they will return home under special care through the mental disorder care network.
The Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City will make a preliminary assessment monthly or unscheduled as well as learn from experience. The health sector in Ho Chi Minh City will implement a program to improve the capacity of medical facilities in health care, mental health examination, and treatment to ensure support for counseling and care from a distance.
At the same time, nutritional counseling, exercise regimens, and a combination of modern and traditional medical methods will be implemented.
