Hong Kong’s health minister has called on the public not to label people with psychiatric disorders, saying that violent incidents involving psych patients were “isolated cases.” Hong Kong should adopt a more inclusive attitude towards psychiatric patients and do its best to help them recover, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau told the press on Tuesday. Lo’s remarks came around a week after a man was shot in the chest by a police officer called to handle a domestic dispute on September 15.
The 38-year-old man, who had a long record of mental illness, was said to have been holding a 30-centimetre long knife and a pair of scissors. He later died in hospital. On Tuesday, Lo was asked if there was any early identification system for schizophrenic patients whose condition was worsening, and the channels available to the patient’s family to seek help.
The health chief was also asked if contacting the police was the only option, and whether the government would consider setting up a mechanism for the Hospital Authority’s (HA) psychiatric department to handle violent patients together with police and community nursing services. Lo said he would not comment on individual cases, but his staff and psychiatric nurses had been following the case, he said. The official went on to say that violent incidents were something that “everyone is unwilling to see,” and it was crucial for society not to label psychiatric patients.
“Patients with psychiatric disorders do not necessarily have violent tendencies; these are just isolated cases,” Lo said in Cantonese. Lo said that patients with psychiatric disorders required not only diagnosis and treatment by doctors, but also the assistance from nurses, social workers and other personnel. The HA currently provided integrated treatment in collaboration with other organisations and multidisciplinary teams, he added.
Last Sunday, the widow and older brother of the deceased man filed a complaint at the Wan Chai police headquarters , questioning why the officer resorted to firing their gun after being called to handle a domestic dispute. The widow told the press that she had repeatedly asked the police not to shoot and said she had contacted the police for assistance, not for them to “shoot my husband dead.” She also questioned why the force had not tried other means to de-escalate the situation before resorting to gunshots.
Paul Yip, member of the Health Bureau’s Advisory Committee on Mental Health, said on TVB last Sunday that if the police learned that they were handling a case involving a psych patient, or could foresee a dangerous situation, they should step up defensive measures by wearing protective gear and use shields to avoid resorting to lethal weapons. He added society should treat people with psychiatric disorders with empathy, while different sectors should improve their understanding of mental illness to handle relevant emergency situations more effectively. Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team.
