The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said  that more than 116 million people are estimated to be living with mental health conditions in Africa.

Dr Matshidiso Moeti WHO Regional Director for Africa said this in Abuja in a message to mark the 2022 World Mental Health Day which has the theme, “Make Mental Health and Wellbeing for All a Global Priority”.

According to her, the day provides an opportunity to draw attention to Africa’s large and growing burden of mental health conditions, with children and adolescents most impacted.

“The theme serves as a reminder that after nearly three years, the social isolation, fear of disease and death, and strained socio-economic circumstances associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to an estimated 25 per cent global rise in depression and anxiety.

“Across the African Region, more than 116 million people were already estimated to be living with mental health conditions pre-pandemic,’’ she said.

Moeti said the rate of suicide remained particularly a thing of concern given the exponential rates of alcohol use and abuse among adolescents as young as 13 years of age.

She said Africa needed to urgently strengthen regulatory systems to close the gaps that allowed young people to easily access alcohol.

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“Sure act contributes to heavy episodic drinking rates as high as 80 per cent among teens from 15 to 19,’’ Moeti said.

To address the challenge, she advised, member states should follow ensure the implementation of commitments they made at the Regional Committee in August 2022.

She said the commitment was done when they endorsed the Framework to Implement the Comprehensive Global Action Plan 2013 to 2023 in the WHO African Region.

The director said that the key document highlighted the severe shortage of mental health services on the continent, and makes recommendations for key actions by member states.

Moeti said countries needed to strengthen the mental health and psychosocial response in humanitarian emergencies, including COVID-19 and Ebola, which have a significant negative impact on school-age children and our health care workers.

She said that mental health and psychosocial support are integral to any successful response.

“On this day let us all commit to work together to deepen the value we afford to mental health.

“To reshape the environments that negatively impact mental health, and to strengthen the care systems to make mental health care accessible to all Africans.’’ Moeti said. (NAN)