116m People Battling Mental Health Conditions In Africa- WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has disclosed that over 116 million people are estimated to be living with mental health conditions in Africa.

Dr Matshidiso Moeti WHO Regional Director for Africa said this in Abuja in a message to mark the 2022 World Mental Health Day which has the theme, “Make Mental Health and Wellbeing for All a Global Priority”.

According to her, the day provides an opportunity to draw attention to Africa’s large and growing burden of mental health conditions, with children and adolescents most impacted.

“The theme serves as a reminder that after nearly three years, the social isolation, fear of disease and death, and strained socio-economic circumstances associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to an estimated 25 per cent global rise in depression and anxiety.

“Across the African Region, more than 116 million people were already estimated to be living with mental health conditions pre-pandemic,’’ she said.

Moeti said the rate of suicide remained particularly a thing of concern given the exponential rates of alcohol use and abuse among adolescents as young as 13 years of age.

She said Africa needed to urgently strengthen regulatory systems to close the gaps that allowed young people to easily access alcohol.

To address the challenge, she advised, member states should follow ensure the implementation of commitments they made at the Regional Committee in August 2022.

She said the commitment was done when they endorsed the Framework to Implement the Comprehensive Global Action Plan 2013 to 2023 in the WHO African Region.