National Program Management Committee in Mental Health

National Program Management Committee

• Acts as the main authority for implementing priority targets and strategies aligned with health systems goals to improve the country's health status.
• Comprises mental health advocates, experts, and representatives from government agencies, academe, consumer groups, and professional organizations.

Status of Mental Health in the Philippines

• In 2005, the mental health plans were revised to be consistent with the National Objectives for Health (NOH) 2005-2010.
• Only one out of two mental hospitals had a review/inspection of human rights protection of patients in the year of assessment.
• 9% of community-based inpatient psychiatric units and residential facilities had a review of human rights protection.

Financing of Mental Health Services

• 5% of healthcare expenditures by the government health department are directed towards mental health.
• 95% of mental health expenditures go towards operation, maintenance, and salary of mental hospital personnel.
• The cost of antipsychotic medication is 0.46% of the minimum daily wage, and antidepressant medication is 11.14% of the minimum daily wage.
• The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation recently covered mental illness, but only for patients with severe mental disorders and short-duration confinement.

Definitions and Status of Mental Health and Mental Illness

• Antipsychotic medications alter brain chemistry to reduce psychotic symptoms.
• Antidepressant medications treat depression and related disorders.
• Warning signs of restlessness include increasing reports of suicide and substance abuse.
• Decline in socio-economic conditions contributes to mental-ill health, disorders, and disabilities.
• Mental health services in the country are often illness-oriented, instituted-based, fragmented, inadequate, inequitable, inaccessible, and neglected.

Department of Health Objectives

• Reduce morbidity, mortality, disability, and complications from mental disorders.
• Promote healthy lifestyles through mental health promotion and stress reduction.
• Constraints in attaining these objectives include limited government resources and competing health objectives.
• The Department of Health is pursuing concomitant reforms in hospitals, public health, local health systems, and regulation as part of the Health Sector Reform Agenda.

World Health Organization (WHO) Call to Action

• The WHO has called for timely global action to address the crisis in mental health.