Covid-19: Various initiatives to support mental health issues implemented, says Women's Ministry

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has provided various initiatives to support psychological and mental health issues in order to manage the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Dewan Rakyat was told.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said the ministry viewed mental and psychological issues seriously.

“As such, to address the issues, the ministry has taken several initiatives including giving support via the Talian Kasih 15999 hotline and WhatsApp Talian Kasih at 019-2615999.

"The scope of Talian Kasih services includes aspects involving physical abuse, counselling, homelessness, protection, welfare, children’s hotline, baby dumping, health reproductive services, social problems among teenagers who are the main target group for the ministry," she told Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir (PAS-Setiu) during the Minister's Question Time on Tuesday (Dec 1).

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Shaharizukirnain had asked the Ministry to state its efforts in addressing the growing psychological and mental health problems in society due to the pressure after a loss of income, being away from family, and anxiety over the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rina said her ministry also has a special tele-counselling support hotline that provides psychological and counselling services to those who are affected by the spread of the pandemic.

"It involves a total of 528 counsellors under the Board of Counsellors of Malaysia and the Welfare Department across the country," she said.

She added that in order to give economic support, the ministry had distributed food baskets to a total of 820,723 households across the country as of last month.

She also said that the Welfare Department's federal monthly aid worth RM1.5bil had been expedited to assist the need of some 498,935 recipients as of October.