Addressing Depression & Mental Health in Mauritius

During a recent workshop held at Victoria Hospital, Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal emphasized the seriousness of depression, stating, “Depression is a serious illness that should not be taken lightly.” He highlighted that approximately 5% of the Mauritian population suffers from this mental health condition. In a bid to combat this issue, the Ministry of Health is committed to providing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) services to the public.

Minister Jagutpal revealed that the initiative to introduce TMS began in 2016 but had not been successfully implemented until now.

Victoria Hospital will be the first healthcare institution in Mauritius to offer TMS, underscoring the government’s dedication to improving mental health services.

He explained that the TMS machine, developed in Denmark and sourced from South Africa, has an investment cost of Rs 17 million.

This non-invasive technology utilizes magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, particularly in areas associated with mood regulation and depression.

“TMS has emerged as a promising alternative for individuals with treatment-resistant depression, as well as for various other mental health disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, and even aiding smoking cessation,” the minister stated.

Unlike conventional treatments, TMS does not require anesthesia, is painless, and has minimal side effects.

“TMS and other neuromodulation techniques represent new advancements in interventional psychiatric care and may well be the future of mental health treatments.

In the long run, these methods will be cost-effective, as they will alleviate the burden on the healthcare system, reduce hospitalizations, and enhance patients’ quality of life,” he added.

In addition to the TMS machine, Victoria Hospital is equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities that will facilitate data collection for research in this emerging area of psychiatry.

Minister Jagutpal underscored the importance of training adequate staff to address depression and pointed out the need to eliminate discrimination in insurance coverage for mental health services.

“Many mental health conditions are temporary rather than chronic. There should also be a dedicated plan for mental health,” he concluded.

Source: l’Express