Meth said that during the upgrade 90 people had benefited, 74 of them being young people who were employed by the 15 small businesses that were awarded work.
“We will be strengthening our efforts to improve community-based interventions by employing 19 registered counsellors who will work directly with communities to educate, support and empower communities and families for purposes of improving mental health outcomes.”
She said the department would improve the hospital wards to accommodate 72-hour assessment for mental healthcare users in 28 prioritised district hospitals over three years.
“That is in addition to improving the provision of mental health-dedicated facilities in regional and tertiary hospitals over the period of three years.
“We should have marked World Mental Health Day on Monday October 10, along with the rest of the world, but we had to reschedule to Thursday, which is still within Mental Health Month.
“That we are marking World Mental Health Day today does not take away its significance.”
R29m children’s ward opened at Fort England
Makhanda facility will provide services for mentally challenged patients aged 13-17
Image: File
A 14-bed children’s ward at Makhanda’s Fort England Psychiatric Hospital has been upgraded at a cost of R29m.
Provincial health bosses MEC Nomakhosana Meth and head of department Dr Rolene Wagner unveiled the new facility on Thursday to mark World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Month.
The facility will provide rehabilitative services for mentally challenged children aged 13-17 from across the country who will be admitted upon referral.
A child psychiatrist will take care of the young patients.
Meth said: “This is the first mental health child and adolescent unit that is compliant with the provision of Mental Health Act no 17 of 2002.
“The facility will manage children who are mentally challenged and need proper examination and care.
“This is part of the department’s continuous efforts to improve the provision of acute and subacute services.
“This means our children with mental challenges will now have a facility that will cater specifically for them.”
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Meth said that during the upgrade 90 people had benefited, 74 of them being young people who were employed by the 15 small businesses that were awarded work.
“We will be strengthening our efforts to improve community-based interventions by employing 19 registered counsellors who will work directly with communities to educate, support and empower communities and families for purposes of improving mental health outcomes.”
She said the department would improve the hospital wards to accommodate 72-hour assessment for mental healthcare users in 28 prioritised district hospitals over three years.
“That is in addition to improving the provision of mental health-dedicated facilities in regional and tertiary hospitals over the period of three years.
“We should have marked World Mental Health Day on Monday October 10, along with the rest of the world, but we had to reschedule to Thursday, which is still within Mental Health Month.
“That we are marking World Mental Health Day today does not take away its significance.”
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The World Mental Health Day theme was: “Make Mental Health and Wellbeing for All a Global Priority”.
Meth said: “The theme talks directly to what we have been doing in the Eastern Cape, because mental health is receiving responsiveness from the sixth administration.”
In September they appointed mental health review boards to strengthen their adherence to maintaining and upholding the rights of mental health patients.
Wagner said the department was using a tactical approach to strengthening mental health services, and it had recognised they needed to open dedicated units like the one in Makhanda.
“We have to make sure our services meet the minimum standards set out in the Mental Health Act.
“The unit is safe and will provide care to children who are in need of the services.”
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She said community-based mental health departments needed to work with the provincial department.
“We are focusing on how we work with community-based organisations and our partners, to ensure rehabilitation services for the children.”
She said nurses and child psychiatrists were still being hired.
Makana councillor Carolyn Clark said the opening of the ward was exciting as it would make a major difference in the community.
“We are dealing with a high number of children using illegal substances. This affects their mental health and they become dangerous,” she said.
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