BY CZARINA NICOLE ONG-KI
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) stressed the importance of mental health amid the pandemic on World Suicide Prevention Day Thursday.
The CHR said the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City recorded an increase in the number of suicide-related calls from an average of 33 monthly from January to March, to 66 in April, 80 in May, 112 in June, and 115 in July this year.
“Among the top reasons the callers have cited for calling is due anxiety-related concerns, inquiry regarding hospital services, and the need to talk to someone,” said CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected people’s physical health but also their mental health, she said.
De Guia said that the increase of suicide-related calls only shows how Filipinos are stressed over the health crisis and fearful of getting sick, troubled by economic uncertainty, and suffering from prolonged social isolation.
“As the government continues to prevent and treat the spread of COVID-19, a mental health pandemic is brewing,” she said.
The problem is exacerbated by the decision of many companies to shift towards work-from-home arrangements as well as the online delivery of classes, De Guia said.
The CHR said there is a need for government policies and social institutions to work closely with civil society to help bring greater awareness on the importance of mental health. (Czarina Nicole Ong-Ki)
