Commemorating Mental Health Day
The Minister of Health Dr. Edwin Dikoloti has confirmed that more than 700 people have taken their own lives in the last 24 months due to various mental health conditions. He was speaking at the commemoration of Mental Health Day held at Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital in Lobatse this morning.
“This is very worrying indeed. As a society, we should come together and show support to some of our own country men and women going through difficult time. Life is too precious to be cut short just like that,” he said.
The Minister further said the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, and others that have severely affected the quality of life.
According to a research carried out by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global health crisis with severe economic, social, and psychological consequences.
Despite the fact that there were multiple crises in recent years, such as natural disasters, economic crises, and even epidemics, the coronavirus pandemic is the first in 100 years to severely affect the entire world.
The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic concern an impending global recession caused by the lockdown of non-essential industries and the disruption of production and supply chains.
Social consequences may be visible in many areas, such as the rise in family violence, the ineffectiveness of remote education, and increased food insecurity among impoverished families due to school closures.
According to some experts, the psychological consequences of COVID-19 are the ones that may persist for the longest and lead to a global mental health crisis.
World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma.
It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health.
The theme for World Mental Health Day 2023 is “Mental health is a universal human right.”
This subject emphasizes the necessity of assuring that everyone, regardless of age, socioeconomic class, or background should have access to high-quality mental health care and support.
