7m people in W. Java suffer depression<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
Around 27 percent of 37 million people in West Java suffer
\nlight to severe depression with some three million of them
\npsychotic due to complex social problems in the crisis-riddled
\ncountry, doctors have said.<\/p>\n
The social problems include an increase in unemployment,
\npoverty and the use of illegal drugs.<\/p>\n
Dengara Pane, who heads the Bandung Central Psychiatric
\nHospital, said on Sunday that out of the province's population of
\n37 million people, more than seven million suffered from mild
\ndepression.<\/p>\n
And, at least one to three of every 1,000 people in the
\ncountry's most populated province experienced severe depression
\nor suffered from a psychosis, he added.<\/p>\n
Citing the findings of a study in 2001, he said the figure was
\nsimilar to the outcome of a survey conducted by the World Health
\nOrganization (WHO), which said between one and three of 1,000
\npeople in the globe were mentally ill.<\/p>\n
Dengara said people with mild depression usually had sleeping
\ndifficulties or easily become anxious, while those with severe
\ndepression experience severe stress or psychosis.<\/p>\n
"Only those with severe depression receive medical attention
\nfrom us," Dengara said earlier on Friday during a hearing with
\nthe West Java Legislative Council Commission E overseeing social
\naffairs, people's welfare, education and health.<\/p>\n
He admitted that around 50 percent of those who were treated
\nor hospitalized in local dispensaries for mental illness were
\nfrom the lower income bracket.<\/p>\n
As the patients could not afford to cover their medical costs,
\nhe said his hospital situated on Jl. Martadinata and another
\nhospital on Jl. Cisarua had to bear the expenses, resulting in
\ndebts of more than Rp 420 million from banks.<\/p>\n
Apart from that, the increasing number of sufferers seeking
\nmedical treatment and care was also blamed for the increasing
\ndebts.<\/p>\n
Dengara said many of the patients undergoing medical treatment
\nat the hospitals were children and adults who have still had a
\nfuture ahead of them.<\/p>\n
Responding to the problem, councillor Yudi Widia Adia of
\nCommission E admitted that the provincial legislature had not
\npaid much attention to the management of the hospitals for the
\nmentally ill as they received operational funds from the central
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Dengara said his hospital alone received around Rp 400 million
\nper month earmarked by the central government from its general
\nallocation funds.<\/p>\n
"But following his report (on the increasing number of
\npatients), we have decided to allocate a special fund for the
\nhospitals," Yudi said.<\/p>\n
"We even need to set up a program to reduce the number of
\nmentally ill people in West Java because it is related to the
\nproductivity of people here," he added.<\/p>\n
She promised to propose an allocation of funds from the 2004
\nprovincial budget for the two hospitals to help pay their debts.<\/p>\n
During Friday's meeting, councillors expressed concern over
\nthe low wages of hospital workers. They are mostly paid Rp
\n250,000 per month, much lower than the minimum wage of Rp 550,000
\nper month as stipulated by the West Java government.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/7m-people-in-w-java-suffer-depression-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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