Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well being, it affects how we think, feel and act. It’s important in every stage of life so we can cope with stressful situations, work productively and make meaningful contributions to our community.
This means that, when the brain functions get disordered it can lead to dire mental illnesses. Mental illnesses have many causes and result from complex interactions between a person’s genes and their environment.
Statistically, depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia as well as other mental health disorders are on a rise in Africa.
Hence, mental health has become a declining public health challenge of our time and requires urgent attention in Africa which necessitated the need to review some facts about mental health in Africa
1. Across the African Region more than Over 116 million estimated people are living with mental health conditions
According to the World Health Organization(WHO) more than 116 million people are living with a mental health disorder. It is estimated that millions of Africans across the region experience a diagnosable mental health condition in their lifetime and yet the majority do not receive treatment.
Unfortunately Africa is significantly behind other continents in making progress towards an achievable mental health wellness.
2. Average 1 mental health worker per 100,000 persons
The mental health workforce in Africa is lower than any other continent. There is an average of 1 mental health worker per 100,000 people, including a very low number of psychiatrists.
Hence the region performs relatively poorly compared to other regions concerning the treatment of mental illnesses and in consequence to this the proportion of Africans who receive treatment for mental health problems is extremely low.
3. Most African governments allocate less than 1% of their budget to mental health illnesses
Average government spending on mental health is less than 1% in Africa. Access to mental healthcare in Africa is very challenging due to the lack of investment by the government.
The number of hospital beds for patients with mental health conditions and the coverage of outpatient facilities are relatively poor in the region which results in why people suffering from mental health problems have no access to effective treatment.
4. The last 15 years has seen a considerable growth on mental health research in Africa
Over the last decade research capacity on mental health has grown significantly in Africa, findings are starting to be applied on the continent to aid mental health wellbeing in the region. Much of this research has been based on UK/Africa collaboration, A great example is the African Mental Health Research Initiative(AMARI).
5. Poverty, War and Conflict are the top reasons for the decline of mental health in Africa
Various African countries endure wars and conflicts from terrorist groups. These affect the population’s mental health ranging from post traumatic stress disorder to chronic mental illnesses.
There is also a strong correlation between mental health illnesses and the socioeconomic status of patients when people are stressed about searching for basic resources for survival like food and water, this stress affects their mental health. Another prominent reason mostly among youths is stress from their workplaces.
In conclusion a person suffering from mental health should not be viewed any different from any person suffering from a physical illness. Mental illness is not a choice or a failure it can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, social status, ethnicity or any other aspect.
The African continent as a whole will need to implement strategies to promote mental health wellness by substantially scaling up mental health services/infrastructures and providing mental health awareness to the African population.
