KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 – The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) has introduced Malaysia’s first Occupational Mental Health First Aid training programme to address underreporting of workplace mental health issues.
Speaking at the 24th Occupational Safety and Health Conference and Exhibition (COSH) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said that lack of awareness led to just one reported psychosocial case in the 2022 National Occupational Accident and Disease Statistics.
“This is not because there are no mental illness cases, but instead it shows lack of awareness about mental health and possible solutions,” Sim said, as reported by The Star.
In comparison, physical health issues such as hearing impairment recorded 5,478 cases, musculoskeletal problems (678 cases), diseases caused by biological agents like infections (420 cases), diseases caused by physical agents such as falls (339 cases), poisonings (185 cases), lung diseases (20 cases), skin diseases (15 cases), and other diseases (six cases).
Sim announced an allocation of RM12 million to train approximately 10,000 psychological first-aiders, including those in the public sector, under the programme. The development of the Occupational Mental Health First Aid training module is supported by the Ministry of Health’s National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health (NCEMH).
“Improved mental health will lead to better productivity. This initiative also strengthens a positive organisational culture, demonstrating employers’ concern for the mental well-being of their employees,” Sim said.
Apart from physical safety and health aspects, psychosocial issues need to be addressed as the World Health Organization (WHO) anticipates mental illness replacing cardiovascular diseases as a primary factor in determining an individual’s capability to continue working.
“We must move away from the constraints of the 20th century to focus on the present. There is no point in fighting yesterday’s battles and solving yesterday’s problems. We have a responsibility to think ahead – 10, 20, even 30 years. We must anticipate future challenges and proactively find solutions.
“In light of this, when discussing current occupational safety and health challenges, we cannot ignore the issue of mental health in the workplace,” Sim said.
