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\u201cEvery death by suicide is a tragedy,\u201d said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, who maintained the suicide prevention was \u201crarely a priority\u201d in national health programmes.<\/p>\n
Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, she called for \u201csignificant investment\u2026to tackle Africa\u2019s growing burden of chronic diseases and non-infectious conditions – such as mental disorders – that can contribute to suicide\u201d.<\/p>\n
According to WHO, mental health problems affect 116 million people in the African region, up from 53 million in 1990<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The continent also has six of the top 10 countries for suicide in the world<\/strong>, while the agency also noted that for each suicide in Africa, there are an estimated 20 suicide attempts.<\/p>\n Despite the urgency of the problem, African governments allocate less than 50 US cents per person to treat mental health problems<\/strong>, says WHO. This is five times more than in 2017, but it is still well below the recommended $2 per person<\/strong> for low-income countries.<\/p>\n Additionally, mental health care is generally not included in national health insurance schemes, WHO said, noting that in Africa, there is only one psychiatrist for every 500,000 inhabitants.<\/p>\n This is 100 times below the WHO recommendation. Additionally, mental health workers mostly work in urban areas, often leaving rural communities without any support.<\/p>\n \u201cMental health is integral to wholesome health and well-being yet far too many people in our region who need help for mental health conditions do not receive it. It\u2019s time to for radical change<\/strong>,\u201d Dr Moeti said. \u201cOngoing efforts by countries should be reinforced and broadened to make mental healthcare a public health priority in the African region.\u201d<\/p>\nBudget constraints<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Help at hand<\/strong><\/h2>\n