Australia announces third stage of mental health response to COVID-19

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, May 25, 2020
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CANBERRA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government announced the third stage of mental health funding to COVID-19 on Monday.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Monday that the government is providing more than 20 million Australian dollars (about 13 million U.S. dollars) additional funding for research to improve mental health care and reduce suicide rates in Australia.

"It includes funding for coronavirus research in terms of the mental health impacts and it has a particular emphasis on what we're doing with regards to men's and boys' mental health and pharmacogenomics or the tailoring of medicines," said Hunt.

"Anxiety and depression, other clinical conditions, are associated with the fear that comes with health concerns, the loneliness of isolation, and the deep concern that people have with regards to their employment, or their business," said Hunt in a press conference in Canberra.

"So the economic consequences of coronavirus can have a huge impact on the mental health, safety, stability and concerns of individuals."

Hunt also said there are over five consecutive weeks of days in which the growth rate of new cases in Australia has been less than half a percent.

"As of this morning, we are at 7,112 cases and sadly, 102 lives lost," he said. "Importantly, 6,509 people have recovered, which means there are 501 active cases in Australia."

According to Hunt, the first stage of mental health package was 74 million Australian dollars (about 48 million U.S. dollars), which addressed in particular outreach services.

The second was 48 million Australian dollars (about 31 million U.S. dollars), which supported the National Mental Health Pandemic Plan. Enditem

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