QUEZON CITY, (PIA) --Department of Health officer-in-charge, Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire on Wednesday (Nov. 9) met with the National Center for Mental Health officials to discuss ways to increase public’s access to mental health services and strengthen community-based mental health programs.

During the meeting, Vergeire pledged her support for the development of mental health facilities across the country as one of the specialties being offered by the Department.

The OIC also stressed the importance of improving research agenda on mental health prevalence and allocating budget for training of mental healthcare professionals.

Vergeire, who came with FICT Undersecretary Nestor F. Santiago Jr. and DPCB Director Razel Nikka Hao also visited the different facilities of the NCMH. During the rounds, the OIC witnessed some of the productive routines and activities of the patients, which are essential components when they are reintegrated back to the community.

"Stigma and discrimination continue to hamper us from maximizing our mental health services and programs. Recognizing these challenges, we have adopted a non-specialized approach to bring mental health services closer to the communities, ensuring that mental health care is available for all life stages in various settings and levels of care,” Vergeire said

Further, we need the support of other sectors to eliminate the stigma around mental health and help make Filipinos healthy, both physically and mentally," Vergeire added.

The meeting was made in line with the DOH's commitment to improve delivery of quality mental health services and inspired by global practices shared during the International Mental Health Summit in Italy attended by the OIC last October 2022. (doh/pia-ncr)