Taking steps to ensure better mental health

─ Guyana focusing on identifying, treating dementia as mental illness

─ As WHO regards dementia as a public health priority

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, October 10, 2019

World Mental Health Day is being observed globally on October 10, 2019, with an overall focus on suicide prevention. In Guyana, the focus has been and continues to be identifying and treating dementia as a mental illness.

What is Dementia? According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), dementia is a syndrome, usually of a chronic or progressive nature in which there is deterioration in memory, thinking ability, behaviour and the overall ability to perform daily activities. The impairment in cognitive functions is commonly accompanied and occasionally preceded, by deterioration in emotional control, social behaviour, or motivation.

Why is this Guyana’s focus?  First, the WHO recognises dementia as a public health priority. While there is no reported data on this particular mental illness and how it affects Guyanese, it is said to affect older people, however, there may be several persons suffering in silence or are treated incorrectly for this type of mental illness.

WHO has indicated that although dementia mainly affects older people, it is not a normal part of ageing. It can be termed a significant cause of disability and dependency among people as it has a physical, psychological, social and economic impact.

The Ministry of Public Health has taken note of these specific indicators regarding mental illness and made it the focus of its Mental Health Unit in 2019.

The Health Education Officer of the Mental Health Unit, Tashia James gave the Department of Public Information (DPI) a quick overview of what the unit has been up to thus far for the year, tackling and combatting this illness. “We work with the Palms; we have a dementia workshop there. It involves the training of the staff at the home so they would be able to identify the traits of dementia and how to treat them.”

She added that the unit is cognisant that dementia can affect anyone not just the elderly hence, “we also work with the [Guyana] Prison Service; they have a very active ex-prison officers’ association doing some work highlighting dementia and we collaborate with other groups and persons in this regard.”

James pointed out that studies show that people can reduce their risk of dementia by getting regular exercise, not smoking, avoiding harmful use of alcohol, controlling their weight, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Additional risk factors include depression, low educational attainment, social isolation, and cognitive inactivity.

Worldwide statistics show that 50 million people have dementia while there are 10 million new cases annually.

At the highest policy level for health, worldwide, in May 2017, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025.

WHO notes that the plan provides a comprehensive blueprint for action – for policymakers, international, regional and national partners, and WHO in the following areas: addressing dementia as a public health priority, increasing awareness of dementia and establishing Dementia-friendly initiatives, reducing the risk of dementia and most importantly the aspect of diagnosis, treatment and care.

In this regard, the local mental health unit has been working to ensure Guyana does its part in the global effort identifying and treating dementia.