A proposal by the Peruvian College of Physicians for Reforming Mental Health Care in Peru

Abstract

Since neuropsychiatric disorders are now the first component of disease burden in Peru, translating this into high prevalence rates for these conditions; and considering that - paradoxically - the Government has not assumed its responsibility, there is a need for proposing a reform of mental health management considering these fundamental aspects: 1) The Ministry of Health must assume its responsibility prioritizing mental health as a public health policy, creating a General Direction for Mental Health; 2) Psychiatric care must be restructured, joining forces with primary health care within the local health systems so that alternative community-centered models may be promoted within their social scope; 3) Personal dignity and human rights of every subject must be preserved; 4) Modernization of the current psychiatric institutions, changing their current hegemonic role to a superspecialization role, including advisory, teaching, and research. All of these aspects must be carried out within a, equity, universality, solidarity, accessibility, participation, quality, and efficiency framework .