[Symposium 45] Bridges of Hope: Uniting for Mental Health Care in East and Southeast Asia

[SY-45] Bridges of Hope: Uniting for Mental Health Care in East and Southeast Asia

Chonnakarn Jatchavala¹, Andi Tanra Jayalangkara Tanra², Ai Aoki³, Tsutomu Aoki⁴ (1.Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla ,Thailand(Thailand), 2.Publication and Research Unit, Public Health Faculty, Hasanuddin University, South Sulawesi, (Indonesia), 3.Department of Healthcare Administration, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Nagoya(Japan), 4.Department of Psychiatry, Asahi General Hospital, Chiba(Japan))

Keywords:

Mental health service,community-based healthcare,International collaboration

East and Southeast Asian countries predominantly fall within the low- and middle-income categories. In many nations, including Laos and Thailand, village health volunteers (VHVs) are the cornerstone of primary healthcare, mainly where healthcare professionals are in short supply. In 2019, before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand implemented a policy promoting a recovery-oriented approach to mental health care. VHVs, recognized as community-based healthcare leaders and termed "unsung heroes" by the World Health Organization, played crucial roles in supporting COVID-19 patients and assisting individuals with psychiatric conditions, particularly regarding medication adherence during the pandemic. However, following the pandemic, the overall workload for Thai VHVs has increased, revealing a lack of adequate training in mental health care, especially concerning substance abuse.Additionally, stigma continues to impede both Thai VHVs and other primary healthcare providers in addressing mental health issues. In contrast, Japan is a high-income country known for its exceptional medical care and educational standards. Numerous Japanese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academic institutions, such as Cambodia, assist other region's low- and middle-income countries. Supporters for Mental Health (SUMH), Japan's first international mental health NGO, has delivered mental health support in Cambodia since 1996. SUMH continues to promote a 'Community Mental Health Service Model,' emphasizing psychoeducation during outpatient and home visits to patients and their families. This presentation reflects on SUMH's 28-year journey and discusses the ongoing advancements in mental health care in Cambodia. Additionally, the symposium will address child and adolescent psychiatry in Mongolia, another low- and middle-income country in East Asia, where Japanese psychiatrist teams have contributed to developing local psychiatric services for young people. The discussions will involve psychiatrists from East and Southeast Asia, focusing on the existing mental health systems, challenges faced, and strategies for strengthening these systems, mainly through international collaboration.