Beijing Expands Psychiatric Facilities
China View – April 29, 2009
Summary: According to an article in China View, Beijing is expanding its mental health facilities. “The city has 6900 psychiatric beds in 32 hospitals and clinics, but the number of people with serious mental illness is estimated at 150,000.” A spokesperson for the Municipal Health Bureau, Deng Xiaohong, said that more large hospitals will be able to diagnose and treat depression and compulsive disorders and counsel terminal cancer patients. According to the Mental Health Center under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 100 million people in China with mental illness but fewer than 5% are aware of their condition.