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Mental health being misdiagnosed as obeah – Ramsammy

Aug 08, 2011 News

In Guyana and many Caribbean countries, most persons fail to recognize the signs of Neuro-Psychiatric Disorders (mental health disorders), citing myths like “obeah” and “voodoo” as the cause for people’s uncommon behaviours.
Statistics reveal that 15-20 percent of the population in Guyana suffer from at least one of these disorders, in many cases, persons are not even aware of it.
According to Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, for a long time when people refer to Neuro-Psychiatric Disorders (NPD), they estrange this illness from others. They believe that these disorders are due to “mysterious, spiritual types of doings”.
In fact, these Neuro-Psychiatric Illnesses (NPI) occur due to chemical imbalances in the body, also responsible for a number of other illnesses such as diabetes which results when the body produces insufficient insulin.
Kaieteur News understands that in cases of NPIs, there might be similar chemical imbalances which cause the brain to malfunction.
Due to the chemical imbalance in cases of depression, symptoms include feeling sad, down, low, or irritable almost all the time, feeling disinterested in things people once enjoyed, having trouble concentrating, remembering things or making decisions and feeling restless.
The list continues with symptoms such as feeling physically unwell, feeling worthless or guilty about things, having an increased or decreased appetite, feeling hopeless about the future and having thoughts of death or suicide.
It was further reported that because of such chemical imbalances some people have a change in personality and in cases of bi-polar disorders, persons move from a state of depression to being hyperactive in a short period of time.
This newspaper was also told that in Guyana, at one point of time, there were only two places for persons to be examined and diagnosed for NPIs; the Psychiatric Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and the National Psychiatric Hospital in New Amsterdam, Berbice.
“We are now embarking on training doctors and health workers at Regional Health Centres and Hospitals to be more alert to symptoms and be able to develop an index of suspicion. Even if they can’t definitively diagnose at health centres then referrals can be made,” said Dr. Ramsammy.
He explained that there are medicines available in Guyana for different cases or conditions of NPIs since they are “very treatable illnesses”, and people can live normal healthy lives without traces of these disorders.
The Health Ministry has already begun training more nurses to recognize these symptoms and will implement the necessary programmes to ensure that more primary health care doctors benefit from a three year course in this regard.
In addition to the limited number of psychiatrists, doctors will have greater competencies to diagnose and treat patients who suffer from these disorders.
Also, there is a massive, “aggressive education programme” being implemented that includes pamphlets being distributed in various areas, information being broadcast through multiple forms of the media and more persons being educated and made aware of these disorders.
Currently there is a monthly clinic at the Skeldon Hospital, Parika Health Centre and the Suddie and Linden Hospitals.
While the psychiatrist of the New Amsterdam Hospital functions at the Skeldon Hospital when there is the monthly clinic date, staff from the GPHC would serve at the other health sites.
“We are hoping to soon expand more clinics to Mabaruma, Bartica and Lethem as staff increase, and also to make the clinic dates more frequent and open at other places since this issue should not be taken lightly. In fact, mental disorder is one of the leading contributors to suicide and this is prevalent in today’s society,” added Dr. Ramsammy.

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