By Sheain Fernandopulle
Colombo, Oct. 13 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka is facing a shortage of psychiatrists as mental health professionals increasingly seek employment opportunities overseas, particularly in Australia and the United Kingdom, Consultant Psychiatrist at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Professor Chathurie Suraweera, said.
Speaking at a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau, Professor Suraweera said the number of psychiatrists currently serving in the country was insufficient to meet the growing demand for mental health services.
Sri Lanka has around 100 to 120 psychiatrists, including consultant psychiatrists and professionals in other categories, she said, adding that the migration of specialists overseas had become a major factor contributing to the shortage.
“Sri Lankan psychiatrists have job opportunities in Australia and the United Kingdom at any given time, and the training they receive here is highly valued. Therefore, this issue continues to arise,” she said.
Highlighting the pressure on existing mental health services, Professor Suraweera said clinics at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka and the National Institute of Mental Health continued to receive large numbers of patients.
“When we conduct a morning clinic, around 150 patients come for treatment,” she said.
Meanwhile, she stressed that mental health conditions could affect anyone, regardless of age, and urged the public not to assume that mental illness was something that happened only to others.
“Anyone, from a young child to an elderly person, can develop a mental illness. We should not think that this cannot happen to me and that it will happen to someone else,” she said.
Professor Suraweera also encouraged people experiencing mental health difficulties to seek professional medical attention, explaining that changes in thoughts and behaviour might not always be recognised by the individuals affected.
“In mental illnesses, it is often our thoughts that change, and we may not realise that our thoughts have changed. However, although the person may not recognise it, others around them may notice the changes,” she said.