Office of the President and Ministry of Health team up with SBM Offshore in mental health fight

The Office of the President and the Ministry of Health have teamed up with SBM Offshore to launch a series of Mental Health Initiatives.

An animated series, a website and a 24hrs 915 Suicide Prevention Hotline are among the initiatives that have been launched.

The initiatives seek to address not only treatment, but also prevention, education and long-term support.

At the launching, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony said the initiatives are intended to place greater focus on mental health and provide support to those who need it.

He said the Government has made strides in changing the outlook for mental health in the country, but there is much more work to be done to address issues such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, low self-esteem and societal stigma that can result in attempted suicide or suicide.

“This is not a Ministry of Health problem, this is a societal problem and if we are going to deal with it, then all of us would have to work together to make sure that we can reduce the amount of cases of persons attempting suicide or for that matter we would like to see no one in this country committing suicide,” the Health Minister said.

The Health Minister said for its part, the Government has made legislative changes including a new Mental Health Act, and a Suicide Prevention Act.

A National Mental Health Action Plan and National Suicide Prevention Plan for Guyana were also previously launched, the Health Minister said.

Providing insight into the initiatives, the Public Health Officer at the Office of the President, Jessica Anthony explained that the website – Guyana’s Mental Health website (mental.gov.gy) is the brainchild of President Irfaan Ali, who strongly believes that improving mental health is essential to improving the lives of all Guyanese.

The website, she said will provide 24-hour support services.

“The website gives us a centralized, accessible and trusted space where people can learn more about mental health and access various resources. But the part that I am most excited about is the 24/7 chat platform that we have built into this site. Some people prefer to talk about their problems while some people, for whatever reason, may feel more comfortable to type. The chat platform is equipped with trained mental health support agents. Yes, they are real people,” she explained.

The Mental Health Officer said whether it is stress at work, family, conflict, anxiety or substance abuse, there are trained agents, who are ready to listen and help.

To complement the website, the partners have also created a Facebook page ‘Kind To Your Mind” to share information on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. The collaborators have also introduced a toll free 915 hotline for those in crisis.

Meanwhile, the animated series is intended to raise awareness on mental health matters.

SBM Offshore Sustainability Lead, Gwenetta Fordyce said the energy company was pleased to partner with both the Office of the President and the Ministry of Health to develop the series.

“The video series reflects that commitment. It tackles real mental health challenges – anxiety, depression, cyber bullying – in a way that is accessible, relatable and empowering for young people. These stories are designed not only to inform but to spark conversation, build empathy and inspire action. They are meant to educate, yes, but more importantly to encourage children to speak up, to reach our help and to understand that they are never alone,” Fordyce explained.

Fordyce said the project comes from a vision rooted in collaboration and care, and deep in commitment to the nation’s youth.

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