War victims suffering due to lack of mental facilities
Experts on mental health conditions have raised the alarm that South Sudan lacks standard mental health facilities that would cater for war victims troubled by their experiences.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that during humanitarian emergencies in South Sudan, rates of mental health disorders can increase by up to 4 per cent for severe conditions and up to 20 per cent for mild to moderate disorders that require care and support.
According to Staff Counsellor for Mental Health at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, Godfery Opoka, facilities for mental health are very few, with only fewer than eight facilities across the country.
“There must be a conducive environment whereby mental health services are available. The services should be highlighted and known to everybody in the community,” Opoka said during the Radio Miraya morning talk show on Monday.
“Mental health issues must involve multiple stakeholders and the government. You may be aware that the facilities for mental health are very few in the country. I don’t know the last time I checked, there were only about three facilities, and psychiatric facilities are less than five,” he added.
He claimed that conflict and unfair treatment by those in positions of power have contributed to increased mental disorders in society and in the majority of institutions across the country.
He said some mental health conditions can be dealt with by increasing sensitization not only for common men and women out there but also for healthcare providers because they are playing a very big role in this. He said the number of counsellors should be available at all levels in the communities.
“It is our role in the family to make sure that the mental health condition gets better, not worse. Instead of us going and hiding, we should start speaking openly.” If somebody starts behaving differently, and maybe somebody starts drinking, find out what could be the problem, “he said.
He said mental health should be a concern for everyone because all society is impacted by mental health. “If we invest in the mental health sector, we shall be able to have a productive, fruitful society,” he said.
He said counselling is part of the treatment of mental health because in mental health facilities there is a provision for counselling in medical health and medicine because medicine does not work alone without counselling.
“The counsellors should also work hand in hand with the family members so that the person’s mental health condition is understood by the communities they live in,” Opoka said.
He said mental health should be in the school syllabus, taught in school and preached in public places.
Dr Patrick Sokiri, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan’s HIV/AIDS Officer, stated that in every post-conflict country, there is a high prevalence of mental health conditions due to night attacks, robberies, torture, and living in substandard conditions. Natural disasters such as floods have also had an impact on mental health disorders in many communities throughout the country.
He said the absence of a dike to stop flooding from happening and other natural disasters all contribute to stress.
“In South Sudan, we witness trauma because of a psychiatric condition. We have acute trauma that comes as a result of a single incident and chronic trauma that comes as a result of a prolonged conflict, and many people have been going through all of this, “he said.
