abuse issues and as much as 40 percent of people attending outpatient clinics in sub-Saharan Africa have problems related to emotional or mental health . In 2005 , the WHO endorsed mental health as a universal human right and a fundamental goal for health care systems of all countries . And if
you visit African countries , you will find very little provision made even in South Africa and Nigeria . When will Africa learn to take responsibility and support its most vulnerable people ?
It is estimated that by 2020 , Africa needs over 800,000 healthcare workers from doctors to nurses to every arm of the health force which provides care for citizens , but that will not happen because our governments neither have the capacity , will or mandate to ease this burden on its people . So I ask , how can we address the issue of mental health if there are people who are yet to get the most basic of healthcare ? How many mental health specialists do we have ? How many mental health counselors , consultants , hospitals and experts can we boast of ? When we start asking and answering these questions , then we can talk about ideas and strategic solutions to help us address this malaise which is plaguing the African continent as a whole .
The rejection , stigma , cultural , traditional and religious connotations which come with mental health and disability issues among other illnesses across the continent needs to be looked at with immediacy not tomorrow or next week but now . They may not be like you or me , but they are human beings and they need our help to live as normal a life as possible .
By Amida Koroma , New Jersey , USA
13