Antigua and Barbuda is proposing an overhaul of its mental health system after acknowledging that the existing legal framework is rooted in stigma and institutionalization.

Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene outlined the proposed changes during the country’s fourth Universal Periodic Review before the United Nations Human Rights Council.

He said the Mental Health Bill 2026 was drafted with guidance and assistance from the Pan American Health Organization to modernize care.

“We acknowledge that the existing legal framework around mental health care is rooted in stigma and institutionalization,” Greene said.

The proposed legislation would support a transition from the existing psychiatric hospital to a new behavioral health unit focused on people-centered treatment, he told the review.

The delegation reiterated the commitment during its closing remarks, describing the legislation as an effort to replace obsolete frameworks and protect the rights of people experiencing mental health challenges.

It did not provide a timetable for parliamentary consideration or implementation, or disclose the cost of the proposed transition.

The delegation also cited Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s appeal for greater international attention to mental health during his address to the UN General Assembly.

“Mental health is not a weakness. It is a matter of human rights, social justice, and sustainable development,” Browne said, according to the delegation’s presentation.

The Government said Antigua and Barbuda would continue pressing for mental health to receive greater priority on the global development agenda.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda plans mental health overhaul, acknowledges outdated system.