DUE TO HIGH SUICIDE CASES NOTED

MENTAL Health, albeit overlooked and stigmatized, will now be prioritized in Mangaldan town after its  Sangguniang Bayan passed “‘An Ordinance establishing the mental health care suicide in the Municipality of Mangaldan establishing mechanism and guidelines for its implementation, adopting certain provision of RA11036 appropriating necessary funds therefore and other purpose”, otherwise known as the “Mental Health Ordinance of Mangaldan” on February 17, 2023.

Councilor Aldrin Soriano said the ordinance took four months to complete, since it was passed on October 2022, coinciding with the National Health Month owing to budget constraints and some controversial provisions.

In an interview last Wednesday, Soriano, who authored the ordinance, revealed that since 2021 to February 11, 2023, data from the Provincial Health Office showed the town recorded 22 suicide cases while the town’s Municipal Health Office recorded three suicide incidents in town as of February 11. Youngest victim was a 13-year-old girl.

Mangaldan is also the leading town in Pangasinan with the most number of suicide incidents.

“Gusto nating magkaroon ng programa at serbisyo para sa mental health ng mga kababayan natin, upang bawasan, kung hindi masupil ang suicide incidents sa Mangaldan”, said Soriano.

The ordinance provides a space in the town’s Rural Health Unit (RHU), to be manned by a trained specialist.

It also provides for a community health care center to be established in each barangay in town because providing mental health services to the grassroots have been found to have an impact. Information campaigns and forums in schools are encouraged.

Soriano expects the ordinance to be implemented end of March 2023, with an initial funding of P200,000 which can be used to hire mental health specialists, and to purchase medicines. (Ahikam Pasion)

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