17 Jun 2015

Mental Health Coordinator in the Ministry of Health Mr Patrick Zibochwa has said that the integration of mental health care in the primary health sector is necessary because mental and physical problems are interwoven and the treatment gap of mental disorders is enormous.


Speaking at a Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (PMHN) workshop for trainees at Lobatse Institute of Health Sciences (IHS), Mr Zibochwa said other reasons for the integration are that primary care for mental disorders generates good health outcomes and promotes respect for human rights.

He said that the burden of mental health disorders is great in that 3.7 percent of the population of Botswana have mental disorders.


He said the mandate of the Mental Health Unit is to formulate mental health policies and develop professional standards as well as organise the Mental Health Programme, coordinate, monitor and evaluate mental health programmes.


He said the mandate also includes promotion and support for research on mental health, as well as provision of technical support to other ministries/departments and Non-Governmental Organisations.


The aim of the workshop was to facilitate a smooth transition of the graduates from a learning environment to the workplace, and to share with various stakeholders the multi-faceted skills acquired by the graduates.

The event also served to promote and enhance collaboration with stakeholders as well as sensitise the graduates on the available opportunities in the field of mental health.
In her welcome remarks, the Principal of Lobatse IHS Ms One Kebiditswe thanked the PMHN faculty for organising the workshop for the aspiring graduates.

She said the course was an 18 months advanced diploma program with a revised curriculum and that the trainees were the first to enlist in the revised curriculum.


She said the new curriculum embraced current issues and trends in mental health care and addressed social factors predisposing to mental disorders, vulnerable groups in the country and treatment protocols. She argued that these issues were not addressed adequately by the old curriculum.


Ms Kebiditswe said the trainees were exposed to more clinical practices in their training. She said as a teaching institution, they believe that classroom teaching and clinical attachments during training are just not enough as graduates also need to learn from the support they get from all the stakeholders in order for them to internalise what their new roles entail.

She said the workshop was the beginning of the support from the stakeholders.



Ms Kebiditswe also advised the graduates to behave well at work and carry out their duties with responsibility. She advised them to respect their clients, keep their confidentiality, stop self-medications and uphold the image of their profession. 


For his part, the program coordinator Mr Onkutlule Obonetse said the existing program was seen to be overwhelmed by inadequate integration of mental health into primary health care system, misdiagnosis and poor management of mentally ill patients as well as poor data reporting and storage in the districts and inadequate support for mental health at national level.


He said the duties and responsibilities of a mental health coordinator include amongst others, working with management, team leaders, mental health team members and other key primary care providers in the development and implementation of plans for the delivery of comprehensive mental health care consistent with policies and standards.


Mr Obonetse said mental health coordinators also provide consultation to primary care service providers, working directly with consumers on issues relating to comprehensive mental health service provision, including information, resources and processes to specialised services.


He said their duty also includes providing or facilitating capacity building initiatives in relation to available resources to address mental health needs in the district as well as clinically supporting the treatment, care and support of mental health service consumers through consultations and a liaison role with primary care providers within the service.


Closing the workshop, the head of department of General Nursing Mrs Kalake advised the graduates to go and practice what they have learnt at their respective workplaces.
She said the graduates had a lot of work waiting for them as the 3.7 percent mentally ill population needs their service.

She also advised them to rely on teamwork and continue the spirit of liaising with others as their work does not require independence. She urged them to be diligent psychiatric nurses and make a difference in their communities. Ends