SHAH ALAM, Oct 22 - Pressure to achieve academic and career success is among the factors contributing to mental health issues among young people, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Citing the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), he said 4.6 per cent of people aged 16 and above experienced depression, with the highest rates recorded among those aged 16 to 19 (7.9 per cent) and 20 to 29 (7.6 per cent).
“Various factors contribute to mental health issues among young people, including the pressure to achieve academic and career success, relationship issues, social media influence, and financial challenges.
“Family members, friends, and the community play a crucial role in identifying signs of mental health issues in young people, thereby enabling timely intervention and appropriate treatment,” Dr Dzulkefly said in a Parliamentary written reply yesterday.
Meanwhile, he said the 2022 NHMS found that 11.2 per cent of mothers experienced postpartum depression, with prevalence higher among young mothers and those living in urban areas.
Dr Dzulkefly was responding to Tumpat MP Datuk Mumtaz Md Nawi, who wanted to know the assessment of mental well-being among young people and young women in Malaysia, and whether the government plans to establish a cross-ministerial task force to implement early interventions.
He added that the National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health (NCEMH) serves as the lead and coordinating body for national mental health policy across various ministries and government agencies, addressing matters such as mental health crises, policy development, and intervention implementation.
The Health Ministry (MOH) also welcomes the proposal to establish an inter-ministerial special task force, which would pool expertise from various ministries to facilitate early intervention within the education, employment, family, and community sectors.
“However, inter-ministerial collaboration is already underway to strengthen the national mental health agenda.
“The MOH works closely with several ministries to address mental health issues among young people. These include the Minda Sihat Sekolah, in collaboration with the Education Ministry; the Siswa Sihat programme, with the Higher Education Ministry; and training at Kem Belia @ Rakan Prihatin and under the National Service Training Programme (PLKN 3.0), in collaboration with the Youth and Sports Ministry.
“In addition, the MOH serves as a referral centre for cases requiring further assessment and intervention through services provided at KafeTeen, an initiative by the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry,” Dr Dzulkefly said.
