11 Oct 2023

There is need to create awareness and education towards de-stigmatising mental health issues. Minister of Health Dr Edwin Dikoloti said this during the commemoration of Mental Health Day, Tuesday in Lobatse. 

Dr Dikoloti said discrimination and stigma remained a major deterrent for people to seek help, hence the need to change wrong attitudes towards mental health through education. 

He said everyone, regardless of status had a right to be protected from mental health risks through, accessible, acceptable and high-quality care. 

Further, he said, societies now had a greater burden of mental health illnesses following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Hence, more than ever before, there was need to recognise mental health as a universal human right, he said. 

That however, called for attitudinal change and proper alignment of government policy. 

It was for that reason that the Ministry of Health had adopted the tagline ‘it is OK to not be OK’, which called upon all to ensure that friends, family members and communities were mentally healthy, he said. 

The tagline, he said, also encouraged individuals to know that they had support in their battle with mental health and it was ok to ask for help. 

Thus, he called for empowerment of the family unit for it to be able to assist those with mental health problems. 

S’brana Psychiatric Hospital superintendent, Dr Joseph Shama said that World Menatl Health Day was an opportunity for people to unite behind the day’s theme, to raise awareness and drive actions that promoted and protected everyone’s mental health. 

It was also meant to change wrong public attitudes and perceptions towards mental health as well as to encourage people to seek help. The day was commemorated under the theme: Mental Health is a Universal Human Right. ends