Poland's psychiatric care 'stuck in 19th century'

A march held in the capital to mark World Mental Health Day was aimed at highlighting the key shortcomings of the healthcare system targeting psychiatric conditions. The participants of the event submitted a petition to the Prime Minister's office, demanding cross-ministerial collaboration strategies embracing both prevention and public awareness about mental health.

Poland earmarks some seven percent of its budget to healthcare, out of which 3.5 percent go to psychiatric care, said Lucyna Muraszkiewicz, head of the Pro Domo foundation organising the event. "The European average stands at 12 percent," she told Polish press agency PAP.

As Muraszkiewicz pointed out, insufficient funding translates to poorer standards for hospitalisation and treatment, reminiscent of "the 19th century."

Clinical psychologist Aleksandra Kühn-Dymecka, from the Institue of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, shares the view as she lists "overcrowded hospital wards, crammed patients, and interiors long in need of renovation. Such conditions are an affront to the patients' dignity," she believes.

As the organisers behind the march underline, mental disorders affect a growing number Poles each year − young people in particular.

As many as 73 percent of those diagnosed with schizophrenia are under the age of 30, statistics show. It is estimated that up to 15 percent of the population may be suffering from depression. (aba/rk)

Source: PAP