Health Agencies Make Strong Advocacy For HIV and Mental Health Care Services
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Health agencies have called for the integration of HIV and mental health care services.
World Health Organisation and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS made this call.
The goal is to improve the quality of life of persons living with HIV.
In a publication launched on Monday, they said that people with mental health are more at risk of contracting HIV. They also said that individuals living with HIV are more at risk of developing mental health complications.
The Director of WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, Devora Kestel confirmed it.
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She said, “Integrated approaches for HIV and mental health lead to better health outcomes, overall well-being and quality of life.
“In addition, such approaches don’t have to be expensive.”
The Director of the Global HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections at WHO, Meg Doherty backed Kestel.
Doherty said:
“This new publication successfully brings together tools, best practices, case studies, and guidelines to help countries integrate mental health and HIV services while improving access to care for the most vulnerable.”
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UNAIDS and WHO agreed on the same goals of the publication, consideration and the tools to be used.
They said:
“The publication is primarily intended for national and local policy-makers, and programme implementers at all levels.
“Organisations working on provision of mental health and HIV services more broadly will also find it useful.
“Beyond HIV, the considerations in the publication may be relevant to services for HIV comorbidities such as tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections.”
Source: PUNCH HealthWise