Progress towards effective and free mental healthcare facilities
The Department of Health assures the public that they are improving mental health facilities.
HAVING effective and free access to mental healthcare facilities is a major milestone that this country is working towards. During this year’s budget speech, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane, said they will continue to do their utmost to improve access to mental health.
According to Simelane, there are currently seven specialised psychiatric facilities in KwaZulu-Natal.
“These facilities offer a range of health services, ranging from general psychiatric care, forensic observation, patient care, psycho-geriatrics, neuro-psychiatry, child and adolescent mental health, psychotherapy, severe to profound intellectual disability, and outpatient services,” stated the MEC.
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She further stated that annually, these facilities are listed to provide 72-hour observation, and some district and regional hospitals have separate mental health units, as per the requirements directed by the Mental Health Act.
In order to address the mental health bed deficits and infrastructural challenges, the department said there is a 10-year mental health infrastructure plan that has been developed and is being implemented.
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“Among the short-term gains that we have made has been the completion of a 26-bed unit, with a regional mental health service package, which has been completed at Pixley KaIsaka Seme Regional Hospital in eThekwini. We are very excited about this,” she said.
The seven specialised psychiatric facilities in the province are: Umgeni, Fort Napier, Umzimkhulu, Madadeni, King Dinuzulu and Ekuhlengeni hospitals.
