By Sheeda Fathil
SHAH ALAM, June 14 — Other states have been urged to emulate Selangor in setting up the state’s counselling centre, said public health specialist Prof Madya Dr Azmawati Mohammed Nawi.
The specialist at the Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia had commended the initiative by the state government in offering such services to the public that is available either face-to-face or via telephone.
“We understand that several individuals are afraid to seek professional help from psychiatrists or doctors or even to express the mental stress they are facing.
“Therefore, the setting up of the Selangor Counselling Centre is the right move for those who fear being stigmatised by the public,” she said during the Media Selangor’s Bual Bicara talk show titled “Depression During Pandemic — Economic Factor Giving Serious Impact?”
The Selangor administration had formed the centre that offers free mental health services to the people.
According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, close to half of Malaysians inclusive of children aged 16-years-old and above were found to be experiencing symptoms of depression and mental health issues.
