10/10/2025
𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀
When 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘴 (not his real name) first arrived at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, his family did not know what to expect, but they were sure that he needed help. Living in Malaysia as he awaits his UNHCR registration, Thomas, who is a Myanmar man in his 30s, has been struggling with Schizophrenia with little support.
Thomas’ mother and sister, who are his caregivers, often felt lost about the next steps regarding his care. Language barriers made communication with the hospital staff difficult, and without a valid UNHCR card, each of his psychiatric consultations cost them RM120. Even then, he could only receive enough medication to last him five days. Though schizophrenia is a lifelong condition, Thomas’ ability to access treatment seemed temporary and out of reach under these circumstances. As Thomas’ symptoms persisted, his and his family’s concern for his condition grew.
Fortunately, the family soon became connected with HEI, and Thomas was able to access and continue mental health care. Through ongoing follow-ups, education, and coordination with public healthcare providers and pharmacies, HEI has been providing Thomas and his family with practical and emotional support, which helps them to regain a sense of control. This includes hospital visit accompaniments, language translation support, and ensuring a consistent medication supply. Gradually, Thomas’ condition began to stabilize. Today, he is calmer, more communicative, and is able to reconnect with his loved ones.
Thomas’ story is one of many that highlights how collaboration across sectors, such as public healthcare providers, communities, and NGOs, can ensure that refugees are not left behind in mental health care.
𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀
As climate change worsens and conflicts spread globally, forced displacement has become one of today’s gravest humanitarian crises. Families are forced to flee their homes by violence, persecution, and the pain of loss, trauma, and uncertainty. This makes refugees five times more likely to experience depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress than the general population. For women, up to one in five experience sexual or gender-based violence. These realities highlight an urgent need for trauma-informed, specialised mental health care that can help refugees rebuild stability and hope.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗮
In Malaysia, refugees face additional barriers. Without legal recognition or protections, refugees face significant barriers in accessing healthcare, education, and stable employment. With only 1.27 psychiatrists per 100,000 people in Malaysia, far below the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommended ratio of 10 per 100,000, local mental health services are already overstretched. Therefore, community-based organizations and NGOs like HEI play a vital role in bridging the gap, delivering support where existing systems lack capacity.
𝗛𝗘𝗜’𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆
In early 2025, the sudden termination of funding by the US Department of State severely disrupted the refugee protection space, including targeted mental health services. This caused HEI’s team to shrink from 35 to 11, and several community-based programs were forced to be discontinued.
Yet, despite these challenges, HEI remains steadfast in prioritizing essential mental health care for refugees and asylum-seekers. Through a combination of in-house services and support to help refugees navigate public health systems, we have continued to provide psychiatric care, psychological and behavioral interventions, psychosocial support, and treatment adherence assistance to 183 refugees and asylum seekers with severe mental health conditions since the disruption to our funding earlier this year. Enabling refugees to navigate the public healthcare system has included additional coordination efforts, such as preparing clinical summaries for doctors, translating, post-clinic psychoeducation, liaising with hospital staff for appointments, arranging transport, and monitoring treatment adherence. These efforts aim to prevent relapse, reduce risk, and support both refugee patients and their families alongside public healthcare workers.
In parallel, HEI’s community-based Psychological First Aid (PFA) initiative trains refugees to be first responders to mental distress, thus strengthening community resilience. While not a replacement for specialized care, the program empowers refugees to take an active role in early mental health support and prevention.
𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Thomas’ story reminds us that even in difficult circumstances, recovery and dignity are possible when compassion meets collaborative care. Yet, countless others like him continue to struggle in silence, facing the double challenges of displacement and limited access to mental health services.
On this World Mental Health Day, HEI calls on partners across the public, private, and NGO sectors to stand together in solidarity. We must move beyond crisis-oriented care and integrate refugees into sustainable, accessible healthcare systems that promote prevention, treatment, and long-term stability. Strengthening the protection ecosystem through coordinated, trauma-informed services is vital, as is investing in the capacity and collaboration needed to build resilience for the future.
Equally important, we must advocate for legal recognition and work rights for refugees in Malaysia to promote dignity, self-reliance, and access to essential services. These actions are not just policy goals. Rather, they are lifelines that determine whether people like Thomas can heal and thrive.
While long-term solutions must focus on building inclusive, sustainable systems, in the meantime, if you wish to support HEI’s mental health initiatives or explore partnership opportunities, please reach out to us at admin@healthequityinitiatives.com. Your contribution helps ensure that refugees can continue receiving the care they need and have their hope restored.
As Dr. Kestel of WHO reminds us,“𝘔𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 - 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭, 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺.”
Let’s work together to make that foundation stronger - for Thomas, and for every person striving to live, heal, and flourish, no matter the circumstances.
Promoting and protecting the right to health for all Over the past 15 years, Health Equity Initiatives (HEI) has committed to building a world where everyone is entitled to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. ABOUT US Our grass roots work focuses on refugees and asylum seekers Through i...
