No health without mental health!

Chairs:

• Professor Hans Pols (Sydney University)
• Dr Aliza Hunt (ANU Indonesia Institute)

Speakers and guests:

• Dra. Ninik Supartini
• Dr Nova Riyanti Yusuf, Secretary General of the Asian Federation of Psychiatric Association
• Dr Sandersan Onie, a research fellow at Black Dog Institute and Founder of mental health NGO Emotional Health for All
• Dra. Ninik Supartini

What is happening in mental health in Indonesia today?

The golden age in psychiatry in the world's largest archipelago nation is over. During the last thirty years, mental health has not been a priority in either research, policy, or treatment facilities. But with the advent of COVID-19 this changed: mental health became everybody's business. 

In February 2021, Indonesia opened the new National Centre of Mental Health on the lush grounds of the Bogor psychiatric hospital. At the same time, the Indonesian Mental Health Directorate has been renewed. Armed with a new mandate and funding, we are watching expectantly at what comes next. In addition, civil society initiatives have always been the backbone of mental health support in Indonesia.

Today, on World Mental Health Day, we are going to hear from Dr Dr Nova Riyanti Yusuf, Secretary General of the Asian Federation of Psychiatric Association, head of the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Psychiatric Association, and formerly a member of the Indonesian parliament (DPR), who will give us a brief update on the current state of mental health in Indonesia. We will also launch her recent book on suicide. 

Dr Sandersan Onie, a research fellow at Black Dog Institute and Founder of mental health NGO Emotional Health for All, will discuss groups of individuals with a lived experience of mental distress in urban Indonesia.

Following this we will launch the film It Takes a Village, a success story of community- driven mental health systems improvement in Kebumen, Central Java, directed by Dra. Ninik Supartini of Elemental Film Productions. The film launch will be followed by a dialogue with our special guests and the audience.

The event is co-chaired by Sydney University's Professor Hans Pols and ANU Indonesia Institute's Dr Aliza Hunt. We hope you will come along and join the discussion.