KUCHING: The 6th Sarawak Mental Health Conference (SMHC) 2023 will be held from Aug 4 to 6 to raise awareness about mental health issues.
Themed ‘Diversifying Mental Health Specialities in Borneo’; the three-day event aimed to help people to understand the symptoms and signs of mental illness, to share knowledge and experience and encourage those who are struggling to seek medical professional help if necessary.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg will be launching the event on Aug 5.
Hospital Sentosa Kuching director Dr Rosliwati Md Yusoff said they are targeting more than 150 participants from the medical and related fields, civil servants as well as the public who are interested in the topics and issues.
She said the event will kick-start with two workshops; titled ‘Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention’ by Dr Ravivarma Rao Panirselvam and ‘Mental Health dan Disability: An Introduction to Rights-based Advocacy’ by Hasbeemasputra Abu Bakar on the first day.
For the second day, she said, psychiatrists will share their knowledge, experience and expertise in their respective fields at the conference.
“Most of the presenters are psychiatrists serving in Sarawak, including those from Limbang, Miri, Sibu and Kuching,” she said at a press conference held at Hospital Sentosa Kuching here yesterday.
“They are experts in their respective specialties such as, child psychiatrists, adolescent psychiatrists, geriatric psychiatrists, forensic psychiatrists and so on.
“Therefore, the participants will have the opportunity to voice their concerns about related issues,” she said.
Also present were the hospital deputy director Dr Alice Tiong and senior psychiatrist Dr Syarifah Hafizah Wan Kassim.
