Mental Health Bill To Be Put Before Parliament

The long awaited revised Mental Health Bill is set to be considered by parliament and turned into law during parliament’s next sitting.

Disclosing this during Your Issues Television programme on ZNBC yesterday morning, Chief Mental Health Officer at the Ministry of Health John Mayeya said the Bill is in the hands of the Health Minister, Chitalu Chilufya who he said is expected to pass a motion in parliament to pass the Bill.

Mr. Mayeya added that, the Alcohol Policy is also expected to be tackled by parliament during its next sitting.

The Mental Health Bill addresses various issues that have affected mental health treatment and care in health facilities and communities as well as various social-economic issues facing the disadvantaged persons.

Meanwhile, Mr Mayeya has hailed government’s deliberate move to set up mental health units in all District Hospitals and health facilities being set up in the districts.

He said the move is part of government’s imitative of bringing primary health care as close to the people as possible.