25 PCT OF PEOPLE IN RI SUFFER NEUROTIC DISORDER

Bogor, W.Java, Oct 20 (ANTARA)- Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said about 25 percent of the Indonesian people is suffering neurotic disorder including depression, a spokesman said.

"This means that one in every four people in Indonesia suffers a neurotic disorder. This is fantastic, but they don't realize it," the minister said in her address read out by Farid W Husain, the Ministery of Health's Director General for Medical Services during the commemoration of World Mental Health Day here on Monday.

So, based on a calculation, the minister said if Jakarta's population totals ten million, its means that one million of them suffer mental health disorder.

"Mental health problems not only concern extreme mental disorder such as psychotic. Schizophrenia which is like the top of an iceberg is also a mental disorder," she said.

It is predicted that one in every 1,000 people are suffering schizophrenia, she cited.

According to her, mental health disorder has seriously reduced people's productivity that the government cannot overcome it alone, should be solved by multi-sectors including the society.

On the occasion, the minister also asked all parties to pay attention to three factors of Indonesia's mental health namely that mental health is an integrated part of the health. Health without mental health means nothing.

Secondly, the status of individual mental health determines the quality of life, so this is the right time to devote special attention. And bad health will lower the Indonesian Human Development Index.

Thirdly, mental health should be integrated into all the aspects of health, health system planning and primary health services, she added.