Specialists undergoing training to tackle alcohol, substance abuse

The Public Health Ministry’s Mental Health Unit is training 35 persons to better tackle the growing problem of substance and alcohol abuse.

During the opening of the training programme today, Util Thomas, Director of the Mental Health Unit, pointed out that alcohol and substance abuse are associated with every mental health issue that plagues society including suicide.

The training is being held at the Unit’s Quamina Street, Georgetown office.

Thomas related that the situation is worse when a victim is addicted to both alcohol and an illegal drug since “not only do they have more frequent elapses but are more resistant to treatment.”

She noted that 70 percent of the admissions at the National Psychiatric Hospital and the Georgetown Public Hospital are dual diagnosis and this also puts a strain on the health sector.

The Director pointed to the issue of suicide; using the community of Baramita, Region One as an example, she said the majority of suicides are committed under the influence of alcohol.

The effect that such incidences have on children was also pointed out.

“We are very deeply involved in a self-harm surveillance project and what we are finding is that most of the cases of persons indulging in self-harm, they come from dysfunctional families where alcohol and substance abuse is prominent, and as you know, self-harm is the strongest predictor of suicide,” Thomas said.

The workshop and certification is being facilitated in collaboration with the Organisation of American States’ (OAS) Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the University of the West Indies.

Representative of the OAS in Guyana, Jean Ricot Dormeus explained that the program is aimed at providing a solution to the drug addiction problem in Guyana.

“These professionals have impacted on the life of many, helping vulnerable youth to keep from narcotics. This is the first Regionally based approach to give training and certification and also first to juxtapose the prevention and treatment strides,” he said.

The event was also addressed by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Colette Adams who spoke of the Government’s commitment to dealing with mental health issues via its 2016-2020 National Drug Strategy master plan.