The absence of personnel specialized in mental health affects the quality of psychiatric medicine in Moldova. Jana Chihai, president of the Society of Psychiatrists, Narcologists, Psycho-therapists and Clinical Psychologists of Moldova, in the first congress of professionals from the field said there are no psychiatrists in six districts of the county. The solution could come from universities, which should include studies in such areas as psychiatry, psychology and clinical psychology in their education programs, IPN reports.
According to Jana Chihai, the patients, before being discharged, do not benefit from a medical-psychical-social analysis that would assess their capacity to integrate into society. The number of persons who suffer from a mental disorder decreased from 100,000 to 93,000, but this does not mean that the number of types of disorders also decreased. Most often the persons suffer from anxiety, depression or psychosis.
Alexandru Limari, psychiatrist at the Mental Health Community Center in Orhei, said that owing to the Mensana project financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, a mental health community center with ten specialists was opened in Orhei. The specialists offer the patients multidisciplinary and flexible medical assistance. Even so, to satisfy the needs of all the patients in Orhei at least three more such centers are needed. In Orhei, there are about 2,500 persons with mental and behavioral disorders. If the severe mental disorders are in remission, the person can receive treatment while in the community. In cases of psychosis, they are admitted to a psychiatrist section.
Larisa Moscaliuc, doctor of the Balti Psychiatric Hospital, treats children with mental disorders. She said that owing to the lack of affection and communication, the children become anxious and with phobia about society. This is due to the fact that the parents go abroad to work and leave the children in the care of other persons who cannot offer them the same affection. Anxiety can develop into depression and can even lead to suicide. “Depression in children is different from adults depression. The children become hyperactive and more nervous. Sometimes the children cannot resist and reach very serious states when they can make suicide attempts,” she stated.
Viorica Ursu, clinical psychologist and psycho-therapist, said the patients with whom she works suffer from psychological disorders, severe or mild depression and anxiety disorders. The easy forms of mental disorders are not treated medically. If the patient is hospitalized, this is supervised by a multidisciplinary team after discharge.
Globally, mental disorders represent 12% of all the diseases and are estimated to reach 15% by 2030. Depression will be the second cause of dysfunctionality in general, being typical more of young persons of reproductive age.
The first intentional congress of the Society of Psychiatrists, Narcologists, Psycho-therapists and Clinical Psychologists of Moldova is held in Chisinau on June 27-29.
