758 Patients Receive Mental Health Treatment At Melaka Health Clinics Since 2021

MELAKA, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- A total of 758 mental health patients have been treated at health clinics across Melaka from 2021 up to June this year, with nearly half diagnosed with depression.

State Health, Human Resources and Unity Committee chairman Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem said that of the total, 600 were new patients, while another 158 were referred or ‘stepped down’ from Melaka Hospital to continue treatment at the primary level.

“Of the total cases, 48 per cent were depression, 24 per cent anxiety disorder, and 18 per cent schizophrenia.

“However, this data does not include patients receiving treatment at hospitals or private treatment centres,” he told reporters after officiating the State-level World Mental Health Day 2025 Celebration at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bukit Rambai here today.

The event was held in conjunction with the Wakil Rakyat Untuk Rakyat (WRUR) programme for the Klebang state constituency.

Ngwe said that mental health services at clinics included screening, initial clinical examinations, basic counselling, and mild psychosocial interventions by a psychological officer or counsellor, with patients referred to hospitals if specialist treatment is required.

At hospitals, he said, patients could consult psychiatrists and mental medicine specialists, with subspeciality services covering child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and substance abuse treatment.

“In addition, the Mentari Programme, a mental health community centre, offers continuous support to the community, while the Ministry of Health (MOH) provides a self-screening platform.

“Among them are MyMinda in the MySejahtera application and the Mentari portal, which allow users to assess their early mental health risks and make appointments at health clinics,” he said.

Ngwe said that to strengthen support at the grassroots level, the MOH is also implementing the K-MindSet programme, which trains community leaders as advocacy agents to raise awareness, improve public understanding of the early signs of mental health problems, and fight stigma.

--BERNAMA