A shortage of psychiatrists is currently prevailing in the country, Consultant Psychiatrist at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, Professor Chathurie Suraweera, said.
Speaking at a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau, she said psychiatrists are in high demand in foreign countries, particularly in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Professor Suraweera said the migration of psychiatrists overseas has become a major reason for the shortage in the country.
“There is a certain shortage of psychiatrists. Sri Lankan psychiatrists have job opportunities in Australia and the United Kingdom at any given time, and the training they receive here is highly valued. Therefore, this issue continues to arise.
“At present, there are around 100 to 120 psychiatrists, including consultant psychiatrists and several other categories. However, when compared with the number of patients we currently serve, this is clearly insufficient. There are clinics at the National Hospital and the National Institute of Mental Health. When we conduct a morning clinic, around 150 patients come for treatment.”
Meanwhile, she emphasized that anyone in society, from childhood to old age, can develop a mental health condition.
“One thing we have understood very clearly is that anyone, from a young child to an elderly person, can develop a mental illness. We should not think that ‘this cannot happen to me; it will happen to someone else.’
“If someone has a mental health condition, they should be taken for medical treatment. In mental illnesses, it is often our thoughts that change, and we may not realise that our thoughts have changed.
However, although the person may not recognise it, others around them may notice the changes."
She further explained that individuals should be taken to a doctor if they show signs of a mental health condition, noting that many people fail to take medication because they are unaware that they have an illness. She added that a person suffering from a mental illness may not be able to function normally and that their behaviour may change as a result of the condition.
She also added that once the condition is properly treated, these changes can subside and the person can return to their previous state. Therefore, she stressed the importance of seeking treatment from a qualified doctor and a clinical psychologist.
