Health Minister Bent Høie (H) says the government gave priority to relief from restrictions to children and young people, but it was inevitable that the pandemic would have consequences for this group as well.
Almost all over the country, large numbers of young patients with eating disorders come to hospitals.
On Friday, TV 2 documented that psychiatric wards for children and adolescents note violent increase in the number of admissions and referrals . Those who are admitted are younger and sicker than before.
W Bergen call it anorexia wave and at the University Hospital in Oslo they say the situation is out of control.
Health Minister Bent Høie now says the government feared that would happen.
- It's very serious. Unfortunately, we see increased demand for young people who need help, says Høie.
- Impossible to avoid
Since last March, the government has said it is giving priority to the youngest when presenting infection control measures. Children and adolescents had greater opportunities to play sports, spend free time and socialize than adults.
Nevertheless, those who work with mental health in pediatric wards in Norwegian hospitals are seeing what may appear to be an eating disorder caused by the coronavirus.
Høie believes this is exactly why the government tried to keep schools open, but the virus forced us to shut down young people as well, when pressure from infection was at its greatest.
- We were worried about that the whole time. Unfortunately, it is impossible to avoid a situation in which the pandemic will not have negative consequences also for children and adolescents. We were more reluctant to introduce measures for children and adolescents, but when we have a pandemic where children and adolescents are infected and infect others, and there is a large epidemic or a high infection rate, we cannot remedy it, says Høie.
- Less waiting time
The Minister of Health still believes that people with mental health problems now have a shorter route help than before.
Government and Norwegian The Health Directorate asked the health service to maintain services for mentally ill people, which Høie said resulted in shorter waiting times and treatment times.
- What are you doing to make sure it's not something we will struggle with for decades to come?
- We were aware that we would prioritize, maintain and strengthen mental health services during a pandemic. As a result, it shortened waiting time for treatment. We also put money into mental health services, says Høie.
In the fall, the so-called Package course for people up to 23 years of age with eating disorders. If you suffer from an eating disorder and can be involved in your own treatment decisions, it should help you get holistic treatment.
"But it's too early to say anything now," says the Minister of Health.
