A team of psychosocial nurses at Connaught having a planning meeting.
It is evident that mental health issues are becoming a serious problem in Sierra Leone. Medical data show a substantial increase in the number of cases reported. According to the Director of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, Dr. Santigie Sesay, from January to October this year, the psychiatric hospital at Kissy in Freetown has recorded over 2000 cases of mental disorders from people of all ages.
The case of Sierra Leone is a very peculiar one. The country has had its fair share of very serious crises–from the eleven years civil war (1991-2002) to the West Africa Ebola Outbreak (2014-2016) and from the August 14th mudslide in 2017 to the Covid 19 pandemic–that have contributed to the growing problem of mental health issues. Although recent data on the condition are hard to find, a national survey in 2002, indicates that 1 in 6 Sierra Leoneans suffers some form of mild depression and the prevalence of substance abuse and depression cases stood at 4%.
Compounding the problem is the fact that mental health is still seen as a taboo topic for many. In fact, people who suffer mental illness are either taken to herbalists, religious leaders or traditional healers for treatment. It is alleged that patients are subjected to cruel inhuman treatment and that their fundamental human rights are violated by those they seek help from. Social stigma and traditional beliefs further complicate the challenge making it difficult for those in need to seek care from trained medical personnel.
But all this is changing now with the prompt intervention of the Ministry of Health under the leadership of the Minister, Dr. Austin Demby. Awareness on the issue at the community level has been intensified, services have been upscaled and the only psychiatric home at Kissy in Freetown has been rehabilitated with improved facilities and better service delivery.
A team of psychosocial nurse at Connaught Hospital finishing a planning meeting.
As the world continues to commemorate this year’s World Mental Health Day with the theme, “Mental health is a universal human right,” the Director of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, Dr. Santigie Sesay, speaks to Abdul Brima, Communication Specialist at MOH, about the progress the ministry has made so far, the challenges and plans for the future.
Dr. Santigie Sesay’s audio.
