Jakarta prepares mental health facilities for election participants

"The Duren Sawit Regional Hospital will become the main referral center to treat various conditions, including stress and mental health disorders,"

The DKI Jakarta provincial government has prepared health facilities and mental health services for the 2024 Election participants at dozens of community health centers (puskesmas) and Regional General Hospitals (RSUD).

"We are ready to accommodate depressed election participants, legislative candidates, or their winning team due to failure. If they need psychological assistance, we are ready. The service is spread across 25 health centers in Jakarta and 13 regional hospitals," Head of the DKI Jakarta Health Service, Ani Ruspitawati, stated on Tuesday.

Ruspitawati explained that the psychological assistance will begin with screening and initial follow-up at 44 puskesmas in each sub-district followed by referral to regional hospitals with psychiatric services, including follow-up by a psychiatrist.

"The Duren Sawit Regional Hospital will become the main referral center to treat various conditions, including stress and mental health disorders," Ruspitawati remarked.

In general, she noted that failed election participants often developed stress and psychological pressure.

However, until now, her side has never collected data related to this incident, including from the 2019 elections.

"In the 2024 election, with improved mental health facilities and services, we will register data on election participants, who fail, and seek treatment at our health facilities in the DKI Jakarta Province," she remarked.

She expressed hope that every election participant would prioritize their own physical and mental health amid the pressure or high hopes of winning the 2024 election.

Earlier, member of Commission E of the Jakarta Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD), Abdul Aziz, urged the Jakarta government to improve mental health facilities for election participants to anticipate when they lost the election.

"We urge the Jakarta Health Service to take anticipatory steps to prepare health facilities ahead of the election," he noted on January 23.

Aziz assessed that special mental health facilities are important, as election participants, especially legislative candidates, tend to have higher levels of stress.

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