04 Jul 2018

Letlhakane Primary Hospital, mental health nurse, Mr Joshua Gabaitshenye says mental health awareness campaign needs the commitment of all stakeholders.

Speaking during Boteti East Psychiatric and Mental Health Community Project Programme in Letlhakane recently, Mr Gabaitshenye said for community based care to be set up in a systematic way, metal health care management and services needed to be made a priority and de-institunalised.

He said mental health was a subject all still instinctively avoided at home, the workplace and within communities and tended to be brushed under the carpet in fear of the unknown.

Mr Gabaitshenye said for people to talk about it and get help, there needed to be a common language and understanding.

He said some pretended they were okay while family and friends turned a blind eye like nothing was happening until it was too late.

He said neuropsychiatric disorders which included mental health and nervous system disorders were the third largest contributors to the burden of diseases after HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.

Mr Gabaitshenye said the World Health Organisation (WHO) predicted that by 2030, depression would be a leading cause of disease around the world.

He said according to WHO, mental health was defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realised their own potential, could cope with the normal stresses of life and could work productively.

He noted that it related to the promotion of overall health, prevention of diseases and the treatment and rehabilitation of people negatively affected by illness. Just like physical illness, Mr Gabaitshenye said mental illness if not recognised and treated could worsen and would last for an unnecessarily long time.

He also said mental health screening must be integrated with care and management at primary care level especially for those with TB, those living with HIV/AIDS, pregnant and recently given birth women.

Mr Gabaitshenye said the day was meant to advocate for human rights of those with mental illness and raise awareness to overcome stigma and discrimination towards people suffering from mental and behavioural disorder and to reduce the incidence of mental health problems in the community. ENDS