Stigma attached to mental illness an obstacle

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: More than 90% of all mentally disturbed Malaysians do not seek treatment because many fear the stigma attached to the illness.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said that stigmatisation was the main obstacle faced by the ministry in trying to get the cooperation of the community, because it discouraged people from seeking help.
The Health Ministry estimated that at least 2.6 million people were suffering from mental disturbances, said Dr Chua, who launched the Mental Health Month 2006 campaign by the Mental Health Foundation yesterday.
Dr Chua said the number of in-patients in mental institutions had dropped. In the Ulu Kinta mental institution, the number has dropped from 5,000 in 2000 to 3,000 currently, and in Tampoi, from over 2,000 to 1,400, following decentralisation of mental healthcare to state and district hospitals and health community centres.
The Government has allocated RM900mil in the 9th Malaysia Plan to make mental health services more accessible.