Antara starts mental health services for older patients from MfH facility

Mental illness in older age and neuro-psychiatric disorders such as dementia and Parkinson's Disease are emerging problems in Low and Middle Income Countries. As populations age the burdens of such disorders are growing. There is also an increasing recognition that older people face social challenges including deprivation through illness, death of partners or social exclusion.

Antara has envisaged the development of a comprehensive mental health services for older age, mirroring its development of children's services with inpatient, outpatient and community-based elements. MfH's child outpatient department will provide the physical base for outpatient and community services with clinics arranged on different days.

We welcome these developments but recognise an ongoing need to ensure free and highly subsidised care for more deprived patients and families requiring mental healthcare in older age.

(TL)