Recent figures reveal nearly 30% of teenagers in Kelantan exhibit moderate to severe depression, prompting a comprehensive push for earlier detection and community-based interventions to address escalating mental health concerns among young adults.
Mental health concerns among young people in Kelantan have come into sharper focus after state figures showed that 29.5% of teenagers aged 13 to 19 had moderate to severe depression symptoms in a 2025 screening exercise. Kelantan local government, housing, health and environment committee chairman Hilmi Abdullah told the state assembly in Kota Bharu that the results point to the need for earlier detection, quicker intervention and ongoing psychosocial support for adolescents and other vulnerable groups.
Hilmi also said adults aged 20 to 39 recorded the highest rate of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, at 47%, suggesting that emotional distress is not confined to school-age teenagers. Speaking in response to a question from Hafidzah Mustakim of Pakatan Harapan, he said the state has been rolling out a range of support measures, including community counselling, crisis response services and rehabilitation programmes.
Among the initiatives are the Minda Sejahtera Community Programme, known as K-MINDSET, suicide prevention training, mental health and psychosocial support for victims of crises and disasters, and psychosocial rehabilitation under the PSR and MENTARI programmes. Hilmi said each district now has two K-MINDSET localities with 164 volunteers in total, while a separate youth-focused module has been developed using interactive methods such as gamification to encourage participation. He added that 15 dedicated psychosocial support lines have been set up to provide faster advice and assistance.
The state health department has also launched an online Minda Sihat screening platform, allowing members of the public to assess themselves, receive results immediately and find out where to seek help. The figures add to a broader picture of Kelantan’s public health and social policy pressures, with the state also grappling with issues ranging from waste management costs to water infrastructure, and with officials increasingly relying on local programmes and community networks to fill gaps in support.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
