THE B40 group and urban poor are the most vulnerable to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as are Kuala Lumpur residents, says the Health Minister.
Dr Zaliha Mustafa said among the factors that contribute to this issue are pressure from parents and poor relationships with peers.
“In 2022, a study was done where 336,900 individuals were comprehensively screened.
“It was found that the region with the highest number of anxiety and depression sufferers was the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.
“The B40 group also makes up a large number in the (Federal) Territories and we find many urban poor there.
“Relationship problems and pressure from parents, also often cause children to feel stressed,” she replied to a supplementary question by Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Dr Zaliha cited worry over high cost of living and relationship issues as among the causes for the mental stress.
To address these issues, she said that there are 1,161 government clinics, 58 hospitals and 34 community mental health centres and four mental institutions nationwide that carry out preventive action, early detection, and rehabilitation.
She added that the Health Ministry is collaborating with the Education Ministry and the Family, Women and Community Development Ministry on several programmes for the young.
Among them was a collaboration between the Health and Education ministries to improve coping skills and resilience among students to deal with issues such as bullying.
On a separate matter, Dr Zaliha said the Health White Paper, which is pending, seeks to reform the national healthcare system to ensure its sustainability.
This is necessary because the nation is facing an ageing population, more chronic diseases, and the possibility of new health threats.
“The current system of financing healthcare does not optimise health resources and is not people-friendly. As such, the Health White Paper will be the starting point towards reforming the system,” she told Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (PN-Tanjong Karang).
Among the areas being considered, she said, is to diversify health financial sources, particularly through the development of a national health insurance scheme.
