NIOSH to come up with plan to address mental health

KAJANG: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is developing a comprehensive plan to help employers and workers address mental health problems at workplace.

NIOSH chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said it would include initiatives to promote awareness on mental health at the workplace and 'Psychological First Aid' module to help employers and co-workers provide early assistance to those suffering from mental health problems.

“NIOSH is currently developing the framework, tools, and programs with the main objective of creating a comprehensive solution. It is one of the modules that we plan to deliver to the industry.

“It will allow NIOSH to be a one-stop centre for the industry where they can get the reference and guidance on mental health issues at workplace.

“Ultimately, NIOSH wants to help groom employers and employees who can assist and refer workers with mental health issues to counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists so that they can get proper treatment," he said after opening the Occupational Safety and Health Psychological Seminar 2019 here today.

The two-day seminar is jointly organised by NIOSH and the Public Service Department (PSD) and attended by nearly 400 participants from various government agencies and NIOSH members.

Present were PSD Psychological Management Division director Dr Mat Ali Hassan, NIOSH Executive Secretary Maj (Rtd) Hanif Maidin and NIOSH Consultancy, Research and Development Division General Manager Khairunnizam Mustapa.

Lee said NIOSH would collaborate with the Health Ministry, public and private universities, occupational health practitioners and mental health practitioners in Malaysia.

“It will be developed in stages, with the first phase focusing on raising awareness about mental health and eliminating the stigma of mental illness at workplace.

“The next phase will focus on managing mental health problems in the workplace through the involvement of employers and employees,” he said, adding that no workplace was "immune" to mental health problems and the issues also involve civil servants nationwide.

He said the Civil Servants Mental Health Survey 2017 recorded 2,860 mental health cases while 576 cases were identified under the PSD Employee Assessment Programme in the same year.

Among the causes that had affected mental health of civil servants in 2017 include divorce with 3,251 cases (according to Malaysian Islamic Development Department), serious debt issues with 61,726 cases (according to Accountant General's Department) and integrity with 929 cases (according to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission).

Source: News Straits Times (NST)

Link: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/08/...ssues-workplace

This post has been edited by bond7484: Sep 6 2019, 11:11 AM

Looks like lots of sick people in Malaysia.


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