The Ministry Of Health Will Connect Psychotherapists To The Treatment Of Cancer Patients

2023 Author: Abraham Higgins | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-30 04:59

The Ministry of Health will connect psychotherapists to the treatment of cancer patients

In addition to oncologists, psychotherapists will work with cancer patients, said Zurab Kekelidze, chief psychiatrist of the Ministry of Health. According to him, the possibility of using antidepressants and tranquilizers in the treatment of such patients is also being discussed. These provisions are included in the concept of permanent psychiatric care for cancer patients.

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In addition to an oncologist, a psychotherapist will work with each cancer patient. This, as reported by M24.ru, said the chief psychiatrist of the Ministry of Health Zurab Kekelidze.

According to him, the corresponding provision is spelled out in the concept of permanent psychiatric care for cancer patients. In addition, they discuss with doctors the possibility of using antidepressants and tranquilizers in the treatment of cancer patients.

According to Kekeladze, the Ministry of Health has been working “for a long time” on the issue of providing psychiatric care to cancer patients. How long has this issue been discussed, the chief psychiatrist did not specify.

The concept of using psychiatric methods in the treatment of cancer patients can be prepared in six months. After that, it will be discussed at the Serbsky Institute for at least another six months. Then the concept will be offered to oncologists.

Antidepressants and tranquilizers can be used only if there is a diagnosis of depression, said Boris Polozhiy, head of the department of environmental and social mental health problems at the Serbsky Institute of Psychiatry. According to him, pain relievers are needed to combat suicides among cancer patients. Polozhiy noted that doctors often do not prescribe potent drugs, as they are afraid of responsibility.

The chief physician of the city oncological hospital No. 62 Anatoly Makhson said that medical institutions would not be able to afford to support psychiatrists either. According to him, there were two psychiatrists in the hospital, whose services were paid for from the city budget. After the transition to single-channel financing, when funds are allocated only from the MHIF, their services had to be abandoned. Mahson lamented that there was not enough money even for research, not to mention psychiatric care.

At the beginning of this year, there were several suicides of cancer patients in Moscow. According to media reports, there are 11 such incidents to date. In most cases, patients died because they could not tolerate severe pain. The authorities refuse to associate suicide with pain.