DOH, WHO, Australian gov't move to aid health workers' mental health, well-being

The Department of Health (DOH), along with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Australian government, launched a mental health and well-being initiative to support over 3,000 healthcare workers in the country.

In a statement, WHO said “The Wellness Movement,” which was based on “practical behavioral approaches to improve the well-being of healthcare workers at their workplace and beyond,” was kicked off at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) on Monday.

Citing its global report in October 2022, WHO pointed out that 23% to 46% of healthcare workers reported symptoms of anxiety.

Meanwhile, 20% to 37% of them experienced depressive symptoms, and 41% to 52% experienced burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With this, WHO said the healthcare workers will be provided with “low-cost, practical tools” designed to fit their specific needs and daily routine in order to practice self-care and wellness.

“Creating a mental-health positive culture in our workplaces is integral to the flourishing of not only our healthcare workers as they fulfill their role as healers, but also the cultivation of relationships among their families and friends, as they bring home healthy habits for mental health and wellness,” DOH officer-in-charge Undersecretary Beverly Ho said.

There will also be virtual roll-outs of community pods in 30 public and private hospitals across the country. These pods will serve as “safe spaces” for healthcare workers to practice wellness on their own and promote it in their respective workplaces.

The initiative was in line with the Philippines’ Mental Health Law, which provides basic mental health services down to the barangay level and secures the rights and welfare of persons with mental health needs and mental health professionals, according to WHO.

WHO Representative to the Philippines officer-in-charge Graham Harrison stressed that healthcare workers have been at risk of tremendous and chronic stress even before the pandemic due to the demands of their work.

“This innovative work with the DOH and the Australian Government is a start to explore and implement practical and scalable ways to improve the wellness and resilience of the country’s healthcare workforce at the individual and organizational levels,” he said.

Meanwhile, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu PSM said that that Australia’s support to the country’s mental health and psychosocial services through Project BRAVE (Building COVID-safe Responses and Voices for Equity) was part of their larger assistance on mental health wellness in the Philippines.

“At the onset of the pandemic, we built on our partnerships with DOH, WHO and other UN agencies to identify sustainable solutions to these challenges and deliver practical support to health workers,” she said. —Giselle Ombay/KBK, GMA Integrated News