A mental health expert has warned that Malawi faces a serious mental health challenge but that with urgent action and greater awareness, it is possible to reduce rates of depression, anxiety and suicide and improve the wellbeing of many.
“For many years mental health was pushed aside in Malawi,” Dr Mose Muotcha said in an interview on Tuesday. “Only the most extreme cases were recognised and unfortunately those individuals were heavily stigmatised.”
He was speaking in the context of the latest data released by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which reveals that over a billion people globally are living with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
WHO says while many countries have bolstered their mental health policies and programmes, greater investment and action are needed globally to scale up services to protect and promote people’s mental health.
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The health agency adds that mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression are highly prevalent across all countries and communities, affecting people of all ages and income levels.
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It says the they represent the second biggest cause of long-term disability, contributing to loss of healthy life.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described transforming mental health services as one of the most pressing public health challenges.
He added that “investing in mental health means investing in people, communities and economies – an investment no country can afford to neglect.”
In the interview, Dr Muotcha also said mental illness exists on a spectrum, affecting everyone to varying degrees.
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He added that the challenges faced by Malawians, including economic difficulties, political uncertainty, widespread poverty and health problems, add “enormous stress” to people’s lives.
“Treatment is essential. Whether through talking therapies or medication, people need help. But for a long time mental health was not taken seriously in Malawi. Only recently have we begun to recognise it as a major issue both here and worldwide,” Dr Muotcha said.
He went on to highlight the rising number of suicides in the country, many of which he said go unreported, making it difficult to grasp the full scale of the problem.
Parliament recently passed a new Mental Health Bill, replacing an outdated law and placing strong emphasis on human rights and dignity in treatment.
Muotcha described the new law as a significant step forward.
“Respecting human dignity is key to reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek help,” he said, adding that mental health conditions must be treated like any other health conditions such as diabetes and malaria.
Addressing barriers to care, Dr Muotcha called for the urgent need for more mental health professionals, especially at community level.
He said treatment should begin in local clinics and village health centres. “If services were available there many conditions could be treated early, preventing them from worsening,” he said.
The doctor further underlined the importance of increased public education to help people understand that mental health problems are common and treatable.
