CCA General Secretary calls upon Asian churches to ensure provision of mental healthcare for all"
In a statement released by the CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara on the occasion of World Mental Health Day–2021 called upon Asian churches to ensure the provision of mental healthcare for all amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a considerable impact on people’s mental health and this pandemic has disrupted or halted critical mental health services in most countries worldwide…Spikes in heavy psychosocial burdens, anxieties around virus transmission, the psychological impact of lockdowns and involuntary self-isolation, loss of employment, financial worries, and social alienation have collectively contributed to increasing levels of mental health problems during this pandemic,” reads the statement.
The theme of World Mental Health Day–2021 is ‘Mental healthcare for all: let’s make it a reality’.
The CCA General Secretary also elaborated on the role of the church in addressing mental health within the community. “Misconceptions around mental health and the stigma that is attached by the Church and its leaders are not uncommon. A greater understanding on the holistic nature of mental health is needed for the Church in Asia to provide vital psychosocial support and care for those with mental illnesses and their families.”
“On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, the CCA urges its member churches and councils to address mental health in an effective and efficient manner by providing and facilitating mental healthcare for all, and make it a reality,” concludes the statement.
Read full text of the Statement on World Mental Healthcare for all
Call for a shared vision:
Speaking at a plenary session on the final day of the four-day consultation, a panel of experts comprised of Members of Parliament, legal luminaries and human rights defenders and religious leaders suggested the need for multi-pronged strategies for wider coalitions towards the common goal of the protection and promotion of the rights of minorities in Asia.
Grounded in their experiences and perspectives, the panellists shared the hindrances to protection of freedom of religion and rights of religious minorities, and proposed effective ways to build relationships with other stakeholders....
“The Church needs to look within and try to be a different, counter-cultural voice. If we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem. Is the Church part of the institutionalized power structure, or the voice of the people, or somewhere in between? Is the Church protector or perpetrator?” asked Mr Khoo, a Solicitor in the High Court of Malaya, Malaysia.
About 50 participants from across Asia attended the Consultation from 5 to 8 October 2021.
Watch and share the Highlights videos of the CCA's earlier webinars and programmes, now available on the CCA YouTube channel.
