Despite ''stretched budgets'' the Department of Health in the Western Cape maintains it is committed to strengthening its mental health services. Health MEC‚ Dr Nomafrench Mbombo‚ made the announcement on World Mental Health Day‚ commemorated annually on October 10.The department reported that in the 2014/2015 financial year the province admitted 5‚944 patients and attended to 40‚409 outpatients at psychiatric facilities including Lentegeur‚ Stikland‚ Alexandra‚ Valkenberg as well as the New Beginnings and William Slater sub-acute facilities.In the 2015/2016 financial year more than 6‚300 mental health patients were admitted and 43921 outpatients were treated at the facilities.“Western Cape Government Health is addressing the growing need for the care of patients with mental illnesses by improving access to treatment and counselling at a primary health care level in line with the Mental Health Care Act 17 of 2002. The Department has also implemented a policy decision to build fit for purpose psychiatric wards at all large District hospitals as well as the Regional hospital units.“However‚ a collective approach whereby the community extends care and support to individuals with mental health conditions‚ their families and carers can most certainly ease the burden with immediate effect‚” said Mbombo.In 2013 Parliament's select committee on social services heard that only a quarter of people with diagnosable mental disorders were receiving treatment. The Department of Health also revealed‚ at the time‚ that 16.5% of the adult population had a mental health disorder and that 43% of people with HIV/Aids had suffered from a mental disorder.Recently the Gauteng Health Department came under fire when 36 psychiatric patients died when they were transferred from Life Healthcare Esidimeni to several NGOs.The department cancelled a contract with Life Healthcare to cut costs.The World Health Organisation's theme for the 2016 World Mental Health Day is: Dignity in Mental Health - Psychological & Mental Health First Aid for All.The spotlight is on people‚ according to the WHO website‚ who ''find themselves in a helping role''. They include teachers‚ community workers or police."Despite its name‚ psychological first aid covers both psychological and social support. Just like general health care never consists of physical first aid alone‚ similarly no mental health care system should consist of psychological first aid alone.“Indeed‚ the investment in psychological first aid is part of a longer-term effort to ensure that anyone in acute distress due to a crisis is able to receive basic support‚ and that those who need more than psychological first aid will receive additional advanced support from health‚ mental and social services‚'' a statement by the WHO read.- TMG Digital/Cape Newsroom..