WHO Urges African Governments to Give Mental Health Patients a Voice in Policy Decisions
By Chibuzor Okoye | IchieTimes
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on African governments to involve people with lived experience of mental health conditions in developing policies and designing services that affect their lives.
The call was made during a press briefing in Awka to commemorate World Mental Health Day, where a message from the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, was delivered by the Anambra State Coordinator of WHO, Dr Mohamed Bonos.
Janabi said mental health influences every aspect of human life, including learning, employment, relationships and participation in community development.
He disclosed that nearly 150 million people across Africa live with mental health, neurological or substance use conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders and alcohol and other substance use disorders.
According to him, many affected individuals struggle to access appropriate care and support, while stigma and discrimination continue to discourage people from seeking help.
The WHO Regional Director noted that people experiencing mental health conditions have often been invited to share their personal stories without being included in the decisions that follow.
He stressed that their participation should go beyond sharing experiences to helping develop policies, design services and strengthen peer led initiatives.
Janabi said the knowledge of people with lived experience, combined with clinical and public health expertise, could make mental health services more responsive, inclusive and accountable.
He explained that WHO was creating opportunities for people with lived experience to participate meaningfully in mental health initiatives across the African region.
According to him, people with lived experience are serving as key facilitators in this year’s Regional Mental Health Webinar Series and Mental Health Intercountry Learning Meetings in South Africa and Togo.
He said the initiatives were organised in collaboration with the Pan African Network of People with Psychosocial Disabilities, Aves Mental Health and United for Global Mental Health, ensuring that their perspectives informed the discussions.
Janabi also pointed to the recently published Mental Health in Africa Investment Case by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, which calls for stronger community based services, protection of human rights and sustained participation by people who use mental health services.
He added that integrating mental health into primary healthcare remained central to advancing universal health coverage across the continent.
However, he expressed concern that only seven of the 47 countries in the WHO African Region were implementing comprehensive integration of mental health services into primary healthcare.
The WHO Regional Director urged member states to establish formal and sustainable mechanisms for involving people with lived experience in mental health policy development.
He also called on health professionals, civil society organisations and development partners to support their leadership and work towards bringing compassionate, accessible and rights based mental health services closer to communities.
Janabi reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to working with member states and communities to expand access to mental healthcare and ensure that the voices of affected individuals help shape the services designed for them.
