It is estimated that there are 16 million people in China with a serious mental health problem, and behind that number are the challenges that families, communities and health providers face in taking care of them.

In Beijing alone, there are about five reports a day to the authorities of attacks or other incidents involving people with serious mental health problems. A man with mental health problems from outside Beijing even attacked and killed an American tourist in the city on July 11. Helping these people and reducing the risk they pose to the public call for further efforts and greater investment.

A more broadly based rehabilitation system is needed so that people with mental health problems get the care and attention they need. There are now 19,000 registered psychiatrists working in 572 mental hospitals nationwide, which have 132,000 beds. This means a psychiatrist has to deal with some 800 patients on average, and most of the patients do not have access to hospitalization.

In 2004, the central government provided 6.86 million yuan ($1.08 million) in seed money to subsidize local care homes for people with serious mental health problems, since then local governments have been adding their own funds as they pay more attention to mental health issues.

But people with mental health problems are also a heavy burden on their families, as most of them will have to receive treatment all their life, or have to take medicine for life even if their mental health improves after treatment.

The good news is that the central government decided early this year that financial aid would be provided for the treatment of 12 types of serious diseases including serious mental disorders on a trial basis. And starting this year, the Beijing municipal government will invest 60 million yuan a year to provide free basic medicine for its 60,000 patients with mental health problems. Other local governments have followed suit.

Meanwhile, it is estimated that more than 26 million people in the country need to receive treatment for depression.

It is obvious that the Chinese people's psychological health has become a pressing concern that calls for urgent attention. Besides the efforts to improve a care system for patients with mental health problems, more counseling should be offered to help those people suffering from serious depression.

(China Daily 08/17/2012 page8)